Thing 23

Wow! I can't believe I'm done!!!!!!!!! It means the world to me to have opened the windows of the new world of education that I have been so intimidated to open for so long. I've been out of the classroom for a while and will be returning this fall. This course has armed me with a fresh arsenal of tools to engage my students whom I'm sure will, as always, teach me more than I ever hoped to learn.

When I began this journey, I had already committed myself to recite, "I am not afraid of technology" as a means of remaining proactive and not procrastinate. What I found was nothing was as difficult as I thought it would be even though it was challenging and may have taken me longer that the average Jane. I am not afraid of technology. I just wanted to know how to use it effectively to enhance the climate of my classroom. I have just begun to scratch the surface.

As I begin to prepare lessons and my means of online communication with parents/students, I have a broader view of possibilities than I had entertained before. I will be working on combining some of the tools as I suggested in a couple of post to make my digital experience less cumbersome for users (especially parents). I'm sure this will lead me to new tools I can explore and employ. I will also be intentional about making sure that whatever I do online is available to all of my students and not just those who are privileged.

My big take away is best summed up by a quote from one of my favorite authors, Zora Neale Hurston, "You've gotta go there to know there" from her book Their Eyes Were Watching God. Until you give Web 2.0 a whirl, you won't know half of what you're capable of accomplishing with it.

Thank you so much for this opportunity. New horizons await my footprints....SPCG

Thing 22

You Tube....Well, what I like about it and what I dislike is the same: you can find just about anything on there. My son is taking a class this summer that addresses and teaches safe and appropriate Internet uses as one of the topics. Each student had to make their own websites and some embedded a video of themselves using You Tube. I watched one (which happened to be my nephew's) and when it was complete, at the bottom of the video there was a scrolling bar. That's not the problem. What was scrolling was ridiculously inappropriate. That's the problem. I'm sure there are ways that undesirable content like that can be hidden or deleted from presentations but then students are still exposed to it if they don't know what they're doing. I don't think that will go over well with parents. It didn't go over well with me when it was my nephew's work that was tainted by foolishness.

Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of good stuff on the site but issues like that with You Tube (Teacher Tube, not so Much) that need to be addressed if it indeed going to press onward. Our school does not allow You Tube during school hours....SPCG

Thing 21

Tweeting.... This is one social networking tool that I don't think I'll be using in the classroom or at all. It is waaaay too public! It is fun to follow and see what people have to say that I admire or check out what's new in music etc. I have been teased by many friends and family members for being in the dark ages as it relates to Facebook and Twitter but I'm just not that interested in getting hooked on another thing. Maybe one day soon, but not right now....SPCG

Thing 20

Social bookmarking....As I mentioned in the last thing, I think SBing would be an awesome tool for teaching and professional development. For teaching because I could send students to my page and give them access to specific readings or sites that would enhance projects or supplement classroom topics/discussions (maybe for extra credit or even as required reading). For PD, the reason is obvious. Sharing information across grade/subject levels would be revolutionized.

Again, however, I say couple, triple or even quadruple up some of these tools and I think the results would be phenomenal. Example: include the bookmarked link in a wiki, google doc or blog and let the sharing begin. Still a little on the shy side with so much information being out there with my name on it but if it's useful to someone, well then, I guess it's worth it. Take a peak at my bookmarks if you want to....SPCG

Thing 19

Tagging....it seems like the same old thing you'd do if you were naming a bookmark folder or maybe I just don't get it. It is convenient to be able to share them with others so easily but I must admit, all the publicity is starting to become a bit much for me. I don't know that I'd use social bookmarking very much unless it was in an educational setting to assign reading or professional development information. I don't really like the idea of becoming a part of a bunch of communities. As it said in the article, the biggest con is that it is just one more place you have to check up on and take care to update. There has to be a way to combine some of these tools so that everything is not all over the place. Ending on the positive, if you are a part of a community that agrees to certain conditions (i.e. responsible research) then social bookmarking could be an awesome thing....SPCG

Thing 18

The idea of having a PLN to share information etc. and grow together is very appealing. The fact that actual dialogue can take place (hopefully as it does when IMing) would be huge! A PLN online forum and it's function is most exciting! How could one be against the idea of having access to current information, the best practices world wide all designed perfectly for you?

My learning community (being that our program spans from pre-k to high school) would be a tremendous benefit as it would provide a space where we could all meet on our own time to share what goes on at the various levels and curricular stages of the program. The challenge would be scheduling and monitoring. As it is with everything else, having to commit and contribute is challenging because even though it is a good thing, it is one more thing....SPCG

Thing 17

I spent some time on Lulu (A book store/self publishing website) since writing is one of my passions. Lulu provides resources for marketing, preparing your work for both traditional and internet bookstores. Though I don't have anything ready to publish at this time, the resources that are available would be a great jumping off point.

What I attempted on Lulu was a more simple project- publish a calendar. It seemed like it'd be a no brainer but I had problems with uploading my photos, then saving and publishing! Maybe I was a bit overzealous but I thought I'd be able to navigate the site with no problem. Maybe I was just having a bad night. Anyway, I'd like to go back and give it another whirl sometime with a short story or book of poetry and use the site for its intended purpose.

I don't think it would be very useful in the classroom. Well, maybe it could be used for a product marketing lesson. Earn as you learn! I think the students would have a lot of fun if we could figure out the rules and restrictions to do it. Just a thought....SPCG

Thing 16:

Digital Students: I agree with most everything they said. I have always thought that there was not enough creativity or project based learning going on in the classroom. Students, even younger students, enjoy and want to see how what they learn in school effects their lives. The most relevant statement though, is allowing students to walk along side us in the process. Facilitate learning, don't dictate.

Do Schools Kill Creativity? : We have to create opportunities for our students' gifts & talents. I don't think schools kill creativity. However, It is stifled. Teachers are asked to do so much more than teach & prep. Every year, kids are ready to take the lead and do something "totally wicked!!

No Future left Behind: I love hearing from students. They can be brutally honest which sometimes comes off as disrespectful. But as they say, from the mouths of babes.Creativity is often times sacrificed so that we can stick to the agenda. Amening classrooms and the time allowed to teach has remained the same whereas what has to be completed in that time has increased. Again I say stifling creativity.

The common thread between the videos is a pressing question, How do we prepare students for the future when we don't know what it looks like? Well, they told us. It is both complicated and simple: we teach them how to think for themselves and express themselves in their work....SPCG

Thing 15: Me, Podcast or Use them?

I could see podcasts playing a role in my classroom as projects created by students & reviews created for students. They may also assist substitute teachers. I could create a few emergency podcast lesson plans (with a hard copy of course) in case of unexpected absence. I do prefer enhanced podcast for visual learners. They really need to "see" it to retain or receive it. A picture in this case would definitely accent those thousand words. They could also be used to help students to better understand what they are reading simply by hearing someone else tell he story.

I don't see administration being a challenge as we are told constantly to embrace technology and infuse it into our classrooms as much as possible. I would have to be creative about air-times and in order to avoid abuse of such a wonderful resource.

I do think students who struggle will benefit the most through repetition, taking notes or even illustrating the cast if it is not enhance. Unfortunately, the students who need it most will most likely not be the ones using them unless it is required, bummer....SPCG

Thing 14: About Podcasting...

I enjoyed listening to and visiting Mr. Langhort's site Speaking of History. It sparked quite a few ideas. The style that Langhorst uses is very informal and makes you feel as if you are right there in the classroom with the kids. What a wonderful tool for auditory learners to be able to receive information in this way at home. Equally blessed by podcasts would be students that are ADD, ADHD or just plain old forgetful. With a podcast, they have an opportunity to hear what they might have missed if zoning or off task, take notes and maybe even get assignments that went over their heads during class.

The Carver Cast was one of the kid sites I visited. They've developed podcast for the core areas in their curriculum. Their style is quite simple but effective. They used clear speech, did role-plays and used music for transitions. What an engaging opportunity for them to learn from one another because as we all know that best test of your understanding is to try to teach it to someone else.

Thing 15 must show me how to do it so let's get to it....SPCG

Thing 13: Share My Vision

How fun was this?! Embedding was the hardest part but, I've got it now!

Here's a glimpse of Arizona for you, a mini get away if you will. You can touch the images to get more info.Go ahead; dance a little bit if you want too....SPCG.

Thing 12: Productivity Anywhere

I spent waaayy too much time exploring but found there are some interesting resources out there. Not all would be useful in the classroom but maybe as professional development tools. Example, Library Thing could be a way for educators or teams to share and track various reading for developing curriculum.

I played the most with Diigo. I thought it might be a great tool to monitor student reading assignments, answer questions about ebooks or site references etc. I also thought it might be great for checking papers/presentations online but it seems that Diigo only works on published sites. I tried it on Google Docs but then realized that Google Docs already had the features that intrigued me (highlighting, correcting, making comments). It was still pretty exciting to be able to read online like I read a traditional text --notes in the margins, highlighting key points etc. The other characteristic I liked Diigo was you can save your modifications as a PDF so if you don't have access to the web, you're still able to review your work! Flexibility and a "B" plan. Love it!.....SPCG

Thing 11:Online Productivity

Using Google Docs was much like using Word. Navigation was familiar, I was able to use the same methods for adding accents and such (for Spanish characters) and attaching photos, links etc. was uncomplicated.

Do I think that it can replace Microsoft office? I'm not sure. I think there will always be people who are uncomfortable with having their work out there on the web. So I don't think Microsoft has anything to worry about anytime soon. My husband also said sometimes using Google Docs or sites like it are problematic with large corporations because when you try to share, they can't get pass the firewalls. That obviously would not be a problem for our students.

I think it is an enabling resource for students who don't have computers at home but can get to the library or even those that do have home access. Students no longer have to tote around jump drives, hoping they don't lose them or panic when they don't work on school computers because of different formats etc. You know what though, I would still caution students to back up their work on a handy, dandy jump drive incase they don't have access to the internet. I would not want the new excuse of choice to be "...but I couldn't get online." Ending on the positive, I love that students can collaborate on group projects in a more controlled environment than a wiki by limiting access to their group members. Public but private...sweet!

As a teacher, multiple versions of student work in one location is paramount. When doing check points there can be immediate feedback, there are fewer papers to carry around and we only have to print when and what is necessary. Correcting would be breezy since I'm sure there are ways to create files and add comments. I am in awe of all of this as another resource for our classrooms and eagerly await the opportunity to put it to use....SPCG

Thing 10: My Wiki

Finally, I had a chance to create a wiki and I had to make myself sign out! It was easy and fun to do. I am interested in how to customize it just a bit more. I'd love to set my wiki up more like a newsletter as in Davis's wiki. It was a lot more visually appealing.

I will definitely be using wikis as a reference tool for parents/students with calendars, homework/project question and answer spots (maybe as blog link so the information can be tracked and evaluated) for group assignments and collaborative study guides. I would definitely want to add a feature that alerts me when something has been modified in order to monitor activity. That part of the read/write or in this case "edit" Web is still a bit awkward but I want to give it a whirl anyway. Not much else to say but since it's morning I guess I'll bid you good day....SPCG

Thing 9: Wikis

I did not realize that wikis could take on so many forms and serve so many purposes. The extent of my knowledge until now of a wiki was Wikipedia (which I always advised my children not to use because of the "anyone can edit" feature.) Now, I'm a bit torn about that aspect and investigating these three wikis will help me explain why....

Davis Wiki: A community wiki for Davis California.

I love the way this wiki is set up. It looks more like a newsletter than a wiki and is very inviting. The graphics & video that were chosen are purposeful (the map of the city's location, the video that explains all about what the wiki is for and how it was developed.) These are key elements because they allow you to process information in various ways (read it, see it, hear it.) These features add dimension to the information and show people that they can contribute to the wiki in a variety of ways.

The Aristotle Experiment: A course organization tool for Estancia High School

Compared to the Davis wiki, this one is very simplistic in the way it's presented but it is thorough and well thought out. It lays out most every detail of the school year's curriculum and breaks it down literally, to the day. Though I'm sure there were adjustments made as the year progressed, how wonderful is it that parents, administrators and of course students have access to your whole year at the click of the mouse. My favorite feature is the projects page where you find the project's purpose, procedure, rubrics and all complete with a nice visual of the text or topic to welcome you in. I would love to create a wiki for my classes like this one. I do wonder how much of this wiki was edited by the students to make it more appealing to them?

Study Hall: A student generated phenomenon motivated by "Cool Cat Teacher"

This wiki is what it's all about. Students learning from and growing with each other in the name of education, collaboration and respect for the knowledge of peers. WOW! Imagine having access to what someone knows who has tested, read or written before you in order to be prepared, proactive and productive for you course's challenges! Even further and deeper is the student commitment to providing and supporting one another in this way. They are really putting themselves out there and welcoming vulnerability by saying "look, here's what I think you need to know. Correct me if I'm wrong." I love the Peanuts' cartoons they use to add a little Spanish humor, the weekly agenda complete with homework & supplementary support links and most of all I love the "student tone" of the work. You can hear them talking to each other as you read. I just couldn't hear the teacher and am not sure if that's a positive or negative?

One thing I noticed about all three of these wikis was the links to blogs which was interesting and empowering. Within wiki's open forum where "everyone can," there is still a place, the blog, for opinions & talk that you just can't touch.

Now what would I do? I would combine the elements of these three: the format from the first, the organization of the second and the students' voices of the third to create what I would consider the "Perfect Wiki Storm." I grab the students with the wiki "wow I didn't know it could do all that", lay out what I think should be the law and then invite them to Debate, Create and Elaborate. I know I'd have to be very careful because there are untouchable standards required by the state and the district. However, "DCE" issues could revolve around style and choice of presentation, study guides, projects & collaborative works, test organization etc. Could we handle it? I don't know but I can't wait to try!...SPCG

Thing 8: Locating Feeds

Okay...I'm still missing something. I'm not quite getting how to subscribe to feeds without actually being signed into my reader. What am I missing??? The Google Blog Search is my favorite because it is the most familiar way to search. No matter how you do it, finding feeds can be hilarious. Here I am thinking I'm going to get some real nitty gritty Tech Ed ideas by going to "Educational Technology" and what do I find....

I thought to myself, "Now what in the world does this cape have to do with technology in education?" LOL! This had to be a lesson in marketing over the Internet. Now, how could I use this in Spanish or Social Studies? Feed finding is funny at times yes, but can also be a catalyst for great lessons. You can find just about anything your heart desires if you have a few to sit down and browse.

I'm also still loving that the few feeds I do have now are in one place. I can simply scan what looks interesting via the synopsis, read or not and go on about my day without wasting a ton of time. "It's a good thing" as Martha Stewart would say....SPCG

Thing 7: RSS

My first thought was "hmmm, interesting...." Once I began reading the recommendations for subscriptions and getting the hang of what RSS can be I thought, "Oh, I get it now!" Using RSS for the classroom would be great for daily current events or news competitions. I'm not sure exactly how it would play out but I can see students rushing to their readers, trying to get the necessary news flash first; presenting or submitting blog comments on the subject before the bell tolls. You know, something like that.

Personally, RSS will be a time saver since I can just go to one site and read everything. One thing I did discovered in doing this exercise was I don't visit a lot of sites that have streaming news but am now excited about exploring the possibilities....SPCG

Thing 6: Fair Use & Copyright

A few years back I wrote a cartoon complete with pictures of the characters, sets and all. I was urged by a famous artist to be sure to get a copyright to secure creative control over my work. I followed that advice and felt a sense of protection from the networks I might send it to for review that they could not use my work in anyway without my permission. I know I still have some rights but I'm sure it's under the "public domain" umbrella now and could be used by anyone most anyway they would like. That's, a funny thing- not funny "ha, ha" but funny like "hmm".... Depending on how you look at it, fair use is great for the person who gets the privilege but maybe not so much so for the person who created it.

However, these newly found truths open up a window of opportunities for fair use that I had never considered before. That is, fair use is not only for the use of famous works. I can throw in a little knowledge from everyday people's blogs, students' work and even home videos without feeling like I stole something. I'd never try to take credit for someone's work but it feels good to know that it's acceptable to borrow if I want to and probably will, for the sake of reaching every student and driving a point home....SPCG

Thing 5: Photo Mashups

I must admit I spent too much time trying to find what I thought might be the "perfect mashup" to post but I'm glad I did. I could actually use this poster as an invitation to writing that ask students where their dreams would take them if they had no limits? Follow up that question with more about the setting of their dream, what it sounds like, smells like, how long it would take them to get there and what their challenges might be? I could use this mashup personally as a metaphor for the peace of things accomplished as well as the excitement of things to come.

This activity reminded me to use Habit 1 even in relation to taking pictures. Beginning with the end in mind would have helped me be more focused on the task. Since I did not start with that approach, it was challenging to find a photo because I had no idea how I wanted or could use it in my teaching/learning environment. That just goes to show that even if something comes easily for you (remember, that's seeing the big picture for me) it may not always be your first course of action. Great way to learn this lesson- click with purpose, sometimes....SPCG

Thing 4: Photo Sharing

Photo sharing would be a lot of fun to use as a teaching tool. I could have students upload a single photo then have them describe it using whatever grammar topic we happen to be working on in class. I could also have students use photos that are for the public use to identify modern cities that used to be the dwelling places of ancient civilizations. The possibilities are endless, add life and personalize otherwise one dimensional lessons. Say hi Willow! Take care.... SPCG

23 Things: Thing 3

The easiest habit for me is to Habit 1-Begin with the end in mind. I'm full of big ideas and can always see the big picture. What can I say, I'm a dreamer-it's how I'm wired! The hardest habit for me is Habit 5-Create your own learning toolbox. I am very project oriented in the sense that when it's done, it's done. Oftentimes I try not to transfer strategies or techniques used to teach one topic to another. Simply because even if it's new to the students, I get bored doing the same old thing over and over again. I guess what I have to work on is seeing how to make that old thing new and fresh again (which I do quite well in the real world). I do embrace the value in evaluating and reevaluating the effectiveness of a strategy to see how it can be improved or even tossed if it bombs. All that said, I do need to work on my toolbox. Problem is, I may forget or not have time to look in it! LOL

Take care and talk to you soon....SPCG

23 Things: The first Thing

What I hope to learn? I want to grow though this process and stretch my thinking about the use and abilities of the web in education and life in general. I think that about says it all. Take care and talk to you soon...SPCG