Wow! I can't believe I made it through 23 things in such a short period of time. I began late in the summer, and have done most of my research and blogging while traveling throughout the country. I'm excited at the prospect of putting everything to use, and have spent much of my time daydreaming about the changes to my curriculum I will make this year, thanks to the new web 2.0 tools I have explored.
1. My favorite discoveries were some of the simplest, probably because of the ease with which I can integrate them into my classroom. My top three were the online image generators, LibraryThing, and the overall idea of using blogging as a regular part of your teaching.
2. This program has helped me view challenges as challenges, not as roadblocks. When I started 23 Things, my end goal was clear: Complete the program and learn to integrate more technology into my classroom using resources already available. The combination of excellent support, numerous video tutorials, and helpful commentary via the blog comments have helped me tackle the challenges faced when using new resources. I began to work towards learning more instead of simply 'problem solving', and found that my mindset changed. Overall, I have found so many new 'things' to continue to explore and implement in my classroom.
3. The take-a-ways of this program were all of the tools that were clearly explained, readily available (i.e. easily accessed and free), and easily transferred to the educational realm. Before I began the program, I figured that 23 things would be mostly review of applications and sites that I had already seen before. Boy, was I wrong. The Things I knew or had heard about were explored in much more depth. Those that were new were adequately explained and easily connected to teaching.
4. Honestly, there was not too much that would improve upon the format or concept. I wish I could say that there was more feedback from the Kickball Captains, but that has to be tempered with the scale of something like this. With as many blogs and participants as there were this summer, that is something that may not be possible. I know this is why the blog commenting and feedback is so important!
5. I would very much like to participate in another discover program like this! I have enjoyed seeing and working with the Mashups, image generators, video casts, and all of the other Things introduced!
6. 23 Things is an exciting way to explore the world using web 2.0!
Thank you to all of the kickball captains and staff that have worked so hard to create and maintain 23 Things!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Thing #22: Nings
Almost all of my students are on Facebook. In fact, I can usually happen upon at least a one or two of them every day during our study hall accessing their accounts on their iTouches. If they used half of the energy and time they spend on Facebook and Myspace in their studies, they would all be straight 'A' students.
As educators, we can't expect all of our students to enter our world. So we need to enter theirs. As access to technology, the internet, and social networking increases for our students, teachers need to find a way to harness all that energy and use it out side the classroom to help students grow and learn.
Social Networks like Ning can provide a great alternative to Facebook and Myspace that will allow students to communicate with each other and their teachers, without involving the personal aspects of their lives as the other social networking sites do. Teachers can create and customize a Ning for their individual classrooms and curriculum, allowing students to comment with one another, post questions, and use as a forum for photos, links, and videos they create.
Ning is also a great way to network with other educators at a local, state, and national level. Teachers, administrators, and librarians can join in support networks to bounce ideas, collaborate on lessons and approaches, and share information to become better teachers.
As educators, we can't expect all of our students to enter our world. So we need to enter theirs. As access to technology, the internet, and social networking increases for our students, teachers need to find a way to harness all that energy and use it out side the classroom to help students grow and learn.
Social Networks like Ning can provide a great alternative to Facebook and Myspace that will allow students to communicate with each other and their teachers, without involving the personal aspects of their lives as the other social networking sites do. Teachers can create and customize a Ning for their individual classrooms and curriculum, allowing students to comment with one another, post questions, and use as a forum for photos, links, and videos they create.
Ning is also a great way to network with other educators at a local, state, and national level. Teachers, administrators, and librarians can join in support networks to bounce ideas, collaborate on lessons and approaches, and share information to become better teachers.
Thing #21: Podcasts and Videocasts
PhotoStory and other forms of videocasts can help the teacher reach students at home. When I began at my school, I was lucky enough to inherit several PhotoStory videos from the previous teacher They are a great way to introduce new concepts and units, like Reform in America, using original documents, photos, and even music.
I never played with PhotoStory before now, but found the program easy to use and an the file compatibility with Windows Media Player an additional bonus. My students, most of whom have little technology experience beyond Facebook, would probably enjoy using the program as well.
I see this as something that will help the teachers extend learning to the hours beyond the school day, but more importantly, as a tool that they can use to get students involved with the learning process. Students could be divided along early American Political Parties, sides of the Civil War, or even create their own temperance societies, and use PhotoStory as part of their presentations.
I never played with PhotoStory before now, but found the program easy to use and an the file compatibility with Windows Media Player an additional bonus. My students, most of whom have little technology experience beyond Facebook, would probably enjoy using the program as well.
I see this as something that will help the teachers extend learning to the hours beyond the school day, but more importantly, as a tool that they can use to get students involved with the learning process. Students could be divided along early American Political Parties, sides of the Civil War, or even create their own temperance societies, and use PhotoStory as part of their presentations.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Thing #20: YouTube, TeacherTube and Zamzar
While exploring many of the videos on YouTube, I was surprised to see the bulk of my search for information on Benjamin Franklin was actually linked back to TeacherTube. YouTube had some great cartoon video shorts that explained the innovations of Benjamin Franklin, but glossed over his statesmanship and role in founding our government.
TeacherTube had many excellent videos on Benjamin Franklin, with re-enactments of his role in the Continental Congress, education, and foreign relations.
One of the more helpful videos in TeacherTube showed up when I searched 'Web 2.0.' It was an overall concept video that showed the origination of HTML formating, which combines content and form. Then, it jumped into the uses of XML and its ability to free form from content, allowing everyday users to post content, images, video, and audio elements and automate data. It then jumps into the tools that can be mashed up on the web and goes on with other Web 2.0 resources and uses. I found it to be a great 'big picture' video that takes the concept of Web 2.0 and compresses the many elements into one visual approach. I LOVED it!
The value of all of these resources is impossibly to qualify or quantify. With its ever-growing size and scope, I believe that sites and tools like TeacherTube and YouTube will become more and more prevalent in our schools and our world. I hope that some of the more educational videos go viral as some of the dance videos have!
TeacherTube had many excellent videos on Benjamin Franklin, with re-enactments of his role in the Continental Congress, education, and foreign relations.
One of the more helpful videos in TeacherTube showed up when I searched 'Web 2.0.' It was an overall concept video that showed the origination of HTML formating, which combines content and form. Then, it jumped into the uses of XML and its ability to free form from content, allowing everyday users to post content, images, video, and audio elements and automate data. It then jumps into the tools that can be mashed up on the web and goes on with other Web 2.0 resources and uses. I found it to be a great 'big picture' video that takes the concept of Web 2.0 and compresses the many elements into one visual approach. I LOVED it!
The value of all of these resources is impossibly to qualify or quantify. With its ever-growing size and scope, I believe that sites and tools like TeacherTube and YouTube will become more and more prevalent in our schools and our world. I hope that some of the more educational videos go viral as some of the dance videos have!
Thing #19: Web 2.0 Awards List
When I looked through the list of the Web 2.0 tools, one in particular jumped out at me. My Heritage is a heritage website that allows you to build a family tree by entering information about your family. The neat part about the site is that you can share your family tree with other members of your extended family to create a more involved and accurate tree. The family tree can also include photos that can be shared.
The reason I found this so interesting was its ability to graphically organize the foundations of your family, and using add-ons like photos, see the how cultures can merge and change. For me personally, I was able to use with family from all over the nation and learn more how my Italian and Irish heritage have intermingled to create the family culture I live with today.
I see this as useful in all three grades of Middle School. Sixth grade teachers can draw on the origins and culture of their family as they learn about human and physical geography, as well as immigration of populations. Seventh and eight grade students can learn more about America's identity as a melting pot (or tossed salad, as I've heard some claim) through the same geographic principles. Best of all, students could work to trace the heritage of some of the founding fathers as they study American History.
The reason I found this so interesting was its ability to graphically organize the foundations of your family, and using add-ons like photos, see the how cultures can merge and change. For me personally, I was able to use with family from all over the nation and learn more how my Italian and Irish heritage have intermingled to create the family culture I live with today.
I see this as useful in all three grades of Middle School. Sixth grade teachers can draw on the origins and culture of their family as they learn about human and physical geography, as well as immigration of populations. Seventh and eight grade students can learn more about America's identity as a melting pot (or tossed salad, as I've heard some claim) through the same geographic principles. Best of all, students could work to trace the heritage of some of the founding fathers as they study American History.
Thing #18: Online Productivity Tools
I chose to explore Google Docs more in depth than open-office, as it has been used by some teachers at my school to share information from home.
As I am very comfortable with Microsoft Excel (and I can be somewhat of a nerd at times!), I chose to compare it with the spreadsheet available on Google Docs. To begin with, Google Docs has access from anywhere and any computer that has internet access. This makes is easy to share with students and other teachers, without the difficulty of attaching files, or worrying over which version the recipients are using. With Google docs, you can do most of the basic things that Excel can do, providing adequate spreadsheet use for the way most users will apply the program. Best of all, Google docs is free, adding to its appeal to the general public. I
The drawbacks for me were more personal. First of all, I know Excel like the back of my hand and can intuitively use it to do just about anything. With Google Docs, I had to learn where things were and it was a little more of a challenge. Excel does have many more advanced options when it comes to formatting than Google docs, and the charts and tables make for some great analysis of data. Google docs is great for a freebie, but for a hard-core user, it lacks the 'oomf' that I enjoy with Excel. On a broader scale, the need for a constant internet connection with Google can be a drawback. When traveling in a place that doesn't have a connection, like on a plane or driving down the road, I can use Excel, save my workbook, and continue or upload later, which is not the case with Google Docs.
Most of this argument could be extended to the other Microsoft and Google Doc applications in some way or another. For its ease of access, ability to share, and none-existent price tag, Google Docs is great. For the math geeks out there like me, or other forms of geek, it may not have enough power.
As I am very comfortable with Microsoft Excel (and I can be somewhat of a nerd at times!), I chose to compare it with the spreadsheet available on Google Docs. To begin with, Google Docs has access from anywhere and any computer that has internet access. This makes is easy to share with students and other teachers, without the difficulty of attaching files, or worrying over which version the recipients are using. With Google docs, you can do most of the basic things that Excel can do, providing adequate spreadsheet use for the way most users will apply the program. Best of all, Google docs is free, adding to its appeal to the general public. I
The drawbacks for me were more personal. First of all, I know Excel like the back of my hand and can intuitively use it to do just about anything. With Google Docs, I had to learn where things were and it was a little more of a challenge. Excel does have many more advanced options when it comes to formatting than Google docs, and the charts and tables make for some great analysis of data. Google docs is great for a freebie, but for a hard-core user, it lacks the 'oomf' that I enjoy with Excel. On a broader scale, the need for a constant internet connection with Google can be a drawback. When traveling in a place that doesn't have a connection, like on a plane or driving down the road, I can use Excel, save my workbook, and continue or upload later, which is not the case with Google Docs.
Most of this argument could be extended to the other Microsoft and Google Doc applications in some way or another. For its ease of access, ability to share, and none-existent price tag, Google Docs is great. For the math geeks out there like me, or other forms of geek, it may not have enough power.
Thing #17: Rollyo
In light of my current visit to the nation's capital, I decided to create my Rollyo Custom Search based around Washington D.C. that addresses things to do, places to visit, and where the best food in town can be found. You can find the link to my Rollyo search here.
Using Rollyo was relatively easy, finding the websites that I wanted to include was a little more difficult. Registering for access was faster and easier than some of the other sites that we have used, and navigating the different searches and using the tags were very user-friendly. When I went back in to test the customizable search I created, I was happy to be able to quickly find the information that I was searching for, without all the extraneous information found when you use Bing or Google search alone.
I enjoyed the process of searching for websites allowed me to learn more about my destination, and the customizable search that I created will make the process much easier for others who are seeking to do the same.
Using Rollyo was relatively easy, finding the websites that I wanted to include was a little more difficult. Registering for access was faster and easier than some of the other sites that we have used, and navigating the different searches and using the tags were very user-friendly. When I went back in to test the customizable search I created, I was happy to be able to quickly find the information that I was searching for, without all the extraneous information found when you use Bing or Google search alone.
I enjoyed the process of searching for websites allowed me to learn more about my destination, and the customizable search that I created will make the process much easier for others who are seeking to do the same.
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