Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Monday, July 19, 2010

Final Thoughts

I think my favorite discoveries was the use of a reader and diigo.  I am now using both almost daily.  The number of blogs that I have found during this adventure is awesome.  There is so much information that people have and are willing to share that is of great value to me as a teacher.  Now that I have made it through the Things, I feel that I need to go back and take them all in again.  When I am learning different things I can do on the computer, I will focus in on a couple and then I completely forget about others that I wanted to explore.
I love learning new things, especially involving technology.  So this class was incredible for me.  There were a few things that I already used but for the most part, it was new.  So that was exciting.  I am going to keep trying to use these tools in different ways.
I love the format of it being on our own pace to discover how we can use the tools.  I would definitely do another course.
Thanks Nancy for your help and bringing these tools to me.  It was great!

Thing #23

The video was kind of cool but it was a bit hard for me to catch all of it.  I will admit that I never have completely understood the laws.
For this program, the credits have been posted.  Some of the assignments have been changed along with the content within it, the input of the videos, to work with teachers from different contents in order to explore web 2.0
For me, I will continue to struggle with understanding the laws.  I am more aware of citing source of the information.  I will need to be aware of what I am using and make sure that I share with my students the importance and rules of using CC.  

Thing # 22

Nings
I like the concept of social networking sites that are specific in content.  Think about how people could share their ideas without going to conferences or being able to continue the sharing of information with people you met at conferences.
I had never heard of Nings before this course.  It is quite interesting.  I know several teachers use Facebook to have contact for specific clubs or organizations.
My problem is that I am getting into following so many different blogs that I don't know if I would want another thing to follow. (The reader has made it so much easier to follow them!)
A Ning could be used fairly easy in my class.  So many of my topics are review, students could set up a Ning for a topic.  All sorts of information and videos could be compiled and posted regarding the skill and applications of the topic.  A Ning could be used as a private way for my classes to communicate.  A place where students could post successes and challenges and receive input from each other.

Thing # 21

I looked at the Education Podcast Network. There were a few podcasts that I liked and decided to subscribe: Teaching with Smartboards and Instructional Technology Podcasts.  I added both of these to my google reader.
I mainly use ITunes for subscribing to podcasts. There are several that I have subscribed to that I use for school and personal use.
TEDTalks,NPR, and What's on your macbook? are a couple from ITunes. Many of the podcasts that I subscribe to are based on technology and how to use a specific technology in the classroom.
These podcasts that I found today are like many that I search for dealing with technology.  I take what I can from them.
In the classroom, I have met the majority of the goals that I set for myself in terms of being a "traditional teacher".  I am ready to do some things that just isn't the norm in terms of teaching math.  This keeps me interested in my job and hopefully shows my students some different ways to look at learning.

Thing # 20

I like using videos with my students.  I think it gives them an opportunity to hear important concepts in a different way.  Videos are also a way for students to see things from a different perspective without the trouble of finding people to come into my room.
I think the Evaluating Websites video is important for all students to see.  Each year I give at least one project that requires students to do research.  It bothers me so much how students will take something as the truth without question.
I have seen the 2nd video, A Vision of Students Today, before but I cannot remember where I have seen it.  I think there will always be a place for some people who need the classroom to be focused on learning but there are so many other ways that people can learn.  I believe we are in a time for great experimentation in how we can use technology to learn.
On YouTube, I watched a video about going from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 to Web 3.0.  Initially, the web was just informational.  Then, with what I have done in this course, web 2.0 is more interactive.  The users contribute to the information.  It is more like there is ownership involved.  The progression is that the web is becoming personalized.  Different sites will "anticipate" what you will want ; give recommendations for other things you may like.
The amount of videos on You Tube is so much more than Teacher Tube in terms of what I would look for to watch and use.  But, even though I do use videos in my class, it is rare that I will use them off of either of these sites.  I have found other instructional sites that have videos that I prefer to use.  One of the main reasons is that I find the search time on these two sites to be longer than on the instructional sites that I have found.

Here is a video that I am embedding.


Thing #19

Library Thing catalog

Setting up my catalog was very easy.  I don't have a large selection of books at my house.  I love to read but I, almost always, use the library.  About the only time I buy a book is when I need it for a class that I am taking.  So with that being said, two of the books that I put in my catalog belong to my husband, two are from my classes, and one is for pleasure that I had around the house.  These books were not that popular.  A Beautiful Mind was the most popular with 2176 and surprisingly (haha) my educational books are not that popular.
I do like that there are recommendations that are given for books.  I really love historical fiction to read for pleasure.  Most of the time, I wander through the stacks at the library trying to find books that I think I would like so I believe I would benefit from the recommendations.
It is interesting all the groups and discussions that are on LibraryThing. I have participated in book clubs in the past but found it difficult to maintain meeting attendance.  This use of discussions within a group would be a good way for me to be involved in a group without having to make time in my schedule for a meeting.  There were several discussions that included A Beautiful Mind.   I really like the local page. I saw on it a book signing, Pat Benatar, that I really would like to attend.  I have a framed poster from a 1998 concert in San Francisco that I would love to see if she would sign.