Week 9: Thing 23

When I began this class I thought I was pretty current on my knowledge of technology. What I found out through the discovery excercises was I had a lot of learning to do! I realized that although I knew what certain things were (blog, pod casts, ebooks, etc.) I had zero experience with actually using most of them. Can you really know about something without the experience?

I found I will take some of this new found knowledge to enhance my personal life, some to enhance my classroom experience, and some will be left out. With a little practice and a lot of exploring the technology that I was unfamiliar with was not as scary as I thought going in. For me, the most important thing technology can do is not complicate my life or make me repeat the same process yet again for the same result but rather to enhance it and streamline it. With all the options for the same thing (i.e. photo sharing) I just need to find the one that will fit my purpose best and jump in.

I really have enjoyed this class and felt the structure and set up was beneficial. Although there are so many topics out there to cover the ones included here are basic, fun, and just the tip of the iceberg!

Week 9: Thing 22

Books on tape has graduated to 2.0! I love this... I am a bit torn because I love to read but for those long car rides to the camping destination this could be it! I don't see myself downloading a book unless for that specific reason though. I can see how this is very useful for students, especially students learning English, struggling with reading, etc.

Week 9: Thing 21

Oh, the joy of pod casts. I found during the discovery exercises I like using itunes to find and listen to pod casts...maybe it is the lack of advertisements. Anyway, I found some good stuff which I subscribed to. The last time I did this though I only received one episode. Who knows what I did wrong. Hopefully feeling more confident with technology I can correct this if needed. Reading the Beginners Guide to Pod casting about how to record a podcast was interesting as it is not as difficult as I thought! Definitely some good info. there. Since I am due with my first baby any day I found a podcast regarding this topic and a few of the episodes sound pretty good. The plan is to be able to listen to them while out for walks, etc.
Once I manage to get the updates regularly and make sure everything is worked out I can venture off to new stuff. I have seen pod casts from some websites I periodically visit. Then maybe one day take it to the classroom.

Week 9: Thing 20

I love YouTube but do not have much experience with other video sites. I usually don't spend too much time looking at videos but so many have been in the news since the site launched that it is hard to not look at some! I only watch two or three then get bored and move on. Anyway, with this weeks task to explore and the suggestion made in reference to 60's music videos I spent a lot of time watching Janis Joplin performances. My mom introduced me to her music a long time ago (probably when I was too young to really know what was happening) but something about her always stuck with me...maybe a bit rebellious...or the free spirit...

Anyway, the fact that we can now go back and watch things like this are amazing. It can be used to enhance history lessons books students are reading...this can really change the way students learn. A fun project would be to have them make a video about a topic they are studying and post it for all to see. Thinking more about this, I also spent time looking up videos with footage of previous Olympics and was able to find fascinating footage of Jesse Owens at the Berlin Olympics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXIe5GbLSUs. Overall, some great stuff that can enhance our student's (& our own) knowledge! It will be interesting to challenge myself to see how I can use this in my PE class.

Week 8: Thing 19

I spent some time exploring LibraryThing and found I would not have a need for it. As a PE teacher, I would not use it. Personally, I do not see to much benefit. It is nice to know it is out there though if I need to look up a book or a review of a book. I think this is one of the sites that I would get bored using.

I posted a few cook books to my profile and a few baby books. It seems they were not too popular. There were a few comments made for 3 of them but no real discussions. Overall, I don't see myself using the site at all.

Week 8: Thing 18

I explored Zoho writer today and created a simple document I use to track our mile runs. This is a very easy site to use and would be great for students to track different things for a class. Also, if you create the group email it may be beneficial to send info as well. The document I created is one I give to my students to keep in their PE folder and turn in every quarter. I find it not only helps them see progress but also keeps them accountable.
(I tried to publish my document to my blog but where it asks for the user name and pswd it keeps telling me I am not recognized...ugh!)
Also, watching the You Tube video for Google sites is interesting. I can't believe all the things that are available online now. It is truly amazing. I am going to have a hard time after this class deciphering which tools to use for my class and which to skip. There are so many options for ways to enhance my class and I am finding a lot of what I have wanted to do in the past I was unable due to not having a classroom. Now, with some creativity, I can accomplish some of these task with my students if I utilize technology! It is very exciting!

Week 7: Thing 17

I have experienced my first Wiki sandbox posting! I think I did it correctly but I am unsure of why everything was related to a dog in the postings! Oh well, it gets people talking...

I also created a wiki with PBWiki and am enjoying exploring it and making changes...

Week 7: Thing 16

Prior to taking this course I had heard of a Wiki but really had no clue what it was. Although I think I am more familiar with it, I have yet to use one. After looking around at some and reading the PBWiki site, I wonder how I can use this in PE. I would love to have a project that would be relevant to PE as well as lend itself to be completed with the help of a wiki but I think I have to think a while on that...
I spent a lot of time searching for an example of a Wiki which related to PE and came up without anything so hopefully posting to the Sandbox will help me gain greater perspective!! Oh, the learning process...

week 6: Thing 15

I spent some time to explore the creative commons site and Larry Lessig's video How Creativity is Being Strangled by the Law, and found this to not only be interesting but also something much needed in our new technology driven age. It seems that with everything out there (blogs, videos, websites, etc) creative commons would be more well known. This is the first time I have heard about it.

Week 6: Thing 15

I just took some time and watched the non-Disney copyright video posted on this weeks discovery assignment. This video is great and should be seen by everyone. It really makes me look at Disney differently. A while back, around the semester break I think, LCMS had a great speaker visit us. He spoke to our students and staff on the topics of bullies and the overall treatment of people at school, those you know and do not know. Underlining his speech, he used the Beauty and the Beast movie. This video made me think about how the two relate and the impact Disney has had helping to form those images and perceptions in kids minds.

Plagiarism as a violation of copyright law...

On another note, I gave a written assignment in PE this year and could not have more disappointed with the amount of students who went online for information and just 'cut and pasted' onto the assignment. We had reviewed plagiarism and what it means, how to not do it, etc. and I know other teachers discuss and talk about it however, they still did it. I thought about making those redo the assignment then realized 90% of each class would have to. Next year I will show the non-Disney copyright video. Are the students just lazy?

Week 6: Thing 14

I spent some time exploring Technorati. This site makes my head spin! I am finding that although I thought I was fairly up to date with technology some of these weekly tasks are showing me differently! It took some time to dive into this site first starting out searching for 'classroom learning 2.0' which brought back so much info. Some useful, some not so much. Branching off and searching relative sites for my subject matter, it definately will take some time to weed out info to use. I was able to find some interesting blogs to read. However, loosing track of time, this will have to wait for a later date!

Week 6: Thing 13

While checking out del.icio.us I was able to find a cute website (www.totspot.com) for kids. It is an online babybook sort of thing. Right now this seems fun in order to communicate and share with our family back east. I am so hesitant of posting personal info. due to all the crazy things you hear. I will check it out...

Personally, I am not someone who has a ton of sites bookmarked on my computer. Maybe this is why sites like these are not of too much interest to me. Nor do I want to or have social relationships online. However, I do like 'peaking' into what others have bookmarked...I also like looking at model homes... To learn from others and see what is out there may be of interest to me.

Professionally, I could see using a bookmarking site if there is project to work on and you want to use specific sites. However, knowing how some students don't go too far above & beyond, would this limit any info they would be researching?

Week 5: Thing 12

Rollyo seems like it can be useful at certain times or for a specific project. I can see how it can be beneficial however, some of these sites appear to be more of headache than they are worth. I guess I am not looking online for everything. I am not opposed to technology but... It seems like you can potentially have a website for everything you want to do. Too many passwords...or am I missing the point?

Week 5

Today I was surprised to find out that when my husband changes the avatar in our email (we share) it automatically updates to my blog! Now I am a boy...
Also, I couldn't resist sharing the picture of Sydne! She sits up like this all the time & sometimes tries to sleep...it's too funny!

Week 5: Thing 11

After looking at the short list of the sites on the web awards list, I found that I use some of the sites on a regular basis. I had never heard of Ning and it is interesting but I am just not the type of person to use the social network. I like the face to face interactions! The imcooked site seems fun. I will have to investigate this one a bit more! I find that www.ifoods.tv is more 'organized' and has a cleaner more professional look to the site. Since there is one chef it has a universal feel to it rather than any member being able to post any recipe. There are ways to search for recipes. Next time I need some help in the kitchen, I will check this site out!

Week 5: Thing 10

I was able to create this image with fdflickrtoys.com. These puzzles would be great to buy for kids! Then using the site www.comicstripgenerator.com, I made the image on the right. This is very easy and I can use this in so many different ways in class. One suggestion I like was to use this to give directions on papers/tests. Using a comic strip can help to get any middle school student's attention!

Week 4: Thing 9

I have come to the conclusion that for me I will go the actual website I am interested in and check if it has a RSS feed rather than trying to search for information. This is the easiest for me. Using Topix.net I found some interesting sites relating to PE and kids in sports however after being redirected to the source and reading the first page I then was asked to sign in and create an account to read the next 3 pages. I think I am going to stick to the old way of getting my information.

Week 4: Thing 8 continued

So I have looked at some RSS feed info and subscribed to some through google reader. Is the number next to the subscrition how many 'bits' of info you get on a given day? What if I don't want that much? Can it be changed? Ugh! Information overload or maybe I am just trying to filter it. What's really wrong with not knowing EVERYTHING! So I thought I would at least get something I was interested in and subscribed to the food network feed. Then I recieved info from 2005! Really!! why? If I get all these on my google reader account and this assignment is to put feeds on my blog I don't want to! However, I can and did post some relevant links to some articles regarding PE to my blog. I did this without using RSS feeds so I feel like I did not complete the actual assignment but rather just created a link!

Did I miss something...or multiple things...? (I think I like being in the dark!)

Week 4: Thing 8

After reading about RRS feeds and how they can streamline the process of finding out news topics with how inundated with information these day I think they can be incredibly useful.

Week 3: Thing 7

There is so much technology out there to learn. Personally, the one thing I am trying to learn about is basic technology when it comes to camcorders. Not knowing much about all the differences and trying to decipher the best for the money can be overwhelming.

Regarding my classes and what I would like to learn would be about creating a way to post a question/topic online that relates to what is happening in our class as well as our world where my students can respond and comment. In college we had to do these frequently so I know it's possible! I'm not sure maybe it's covered in this course.

Week 3: Thing 6

After looking at Flickr as well as what some of my cohorts had to say, I went to picasa. It seems easier for me although I thought you could modify/enhance pictures but I couldn't find that. I also found some great websites for taking pictures and making them into photo books, canvas art, calendars and such. www.canvaspress.com looks like it could be great! After having this baby I may have to test it out.
Back on the topic of posting the my blog, picasa was very simple to use. I will have to add additional pictures for this slide show!

Week 3: Thing 5

After spending some time exploring Flickr I created an account. To my surprise the next time I went to the site, a picture a friend sent me about 4 years ago from Germany came up on my account. Weird I never uploaded it... Maybe I had an account earlier but if I did wouldn't it tell me my email was associated with an account?

Also, I received 100's of spam email the same day I created everything...could it be a coincidence? The emails have subsided but..... Flickr will be fun but I am very unsure of uploading pictures of people (me, friends, family) online. I have all the settings set to not be public (I hope). Next I will explore this and see how to limit the viewing to only people I want. Oh the joys of the internet!

Week 2: Thing 3

I was finally able to explore some blogs of my peers and I must say they look great! It made me feel more comfortable doing this. Although I tried to post a comment and not only did it not post but who knows where it went out there. Another tech related challenge! (which is probably very easy to figure out) I will leave that for another day since I have the time (on bed rest)!

Week 2: Thing 3 & 4

I was finally able to create my avatar! It took a little investigating to do this. I look forward to next week's assignments!

I was also able to register my blog! So far so good...

Week 1: Thing 1 & 2

Thing 1: After reading about the course, I decided to take it for credit. It seems fun and easy to incorporate into the classroom. I am excited to learn how to use some of the tools we will work with!


Thing 2: I created my blog and I tried to create an avatar and could not get it to a female so that is something I have to work on to figure out.