Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Thing #19: There's other social networks besides Facebook???
Visit TeacherPop
I was completely unaware of how many social networks there were out there! I'm not a member of any online communities, but I joined TeacherPop and could not believe how many great resources and discussion forums there were. What a great way to communicate and share ideas with other teachers!
I explored a few other online communities as well. The thing that surprised me the most, is that users can create and customize their own page within these communities, just like on Facebook. I think that is one of the things that makes it so different from blogs. On Teacher Librarian Ning, there was a "starter kit" on the front page which consisted of links to teacher/classroom blogs, helpful websites and other great resources for teachers. I also checked out "Bake Space." I loved the easy-to-use format and organization and also how simple it was to create a personal cookbook and swap recipes.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Thing #18: Social Networking
I am part of the 41.6% of the U. S population that has a Facebook page. Here is a link to my page, although I'm not sure how much of it you will be able to see because of my privacy settings.
http://www.facebook.com/emily.brennan.13
It is important for teachers to know about social networking because it opens a lot of doors for communicating with colleagues, parents, and other professionals in the field. Social networking allows an easy, comfortable exchange of information and ideas. Before I moved here and transferred schools, I was in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin. Similar to APSU's "milestone" program, UWM had "blocks." We would move from block to block with the same group of people (called a cohort). My cohort had a Facebook group and we used it to ask about homework, remind each other of deadlines, exchange ideas about projects, and plan group activities outside of school. Facebook was a really convenient way to make sure everyone was on the same page.
One thing I dislike about social networking is the lack of privacy. Even though my page is set to private, I still worry that somehow, people will find my information (not that I have anything to hide, haha). I only add friends who I would really like to stay in touch with, which is why I did not add any friends like the 23 Things post suggested. In fact, I am slowly but surely cleaning up my friends list. I think as long as users are careful about what they post online, having a Facebook is okay.
I could see myself having a classroom Facebook page to keep parents, students, and other teachers "in the know." This would be one of many forms of communication I would use in my classroom.
http://www.facebook.com/emily.brennan.13
It is important for teachers to know about social networking because it opens a lot of doors for communicating with colleagues, parents, and other professionals in the field. Social networking allows an easy, comfortable exchange of information and ideas. Before I moved here and transferred schools, I was in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin. Similar to APSU's "milestone" program, UWM had "blocks." We would move from block to block with the same group of people (called a cohort). My cohort had a Facebook group and we used it to ask about homework, remind each other of deadlines, exchange ideas about projects, and plan group activities outside of school. Facebook was a really convenient way to make sure everyone was on the same page.
One thing I dislike about social networking is the lack of privacy. Even though my page is set to private, I still worry that somehow, people will find my information (not that I have anything to hide, haha). I only add friends who I would really like to stay in touch with, which is why I did not add any friends like the 23 Things post suggested. In fact, I am slowly but surely cleaning up my friends list. I think as long as users are careful about what they post online, having a Facebook is okay.
I could see myself having a classroom Facebook page to keep parents, students, and other teachers "in the know." This would be one of many forms of communication I would use in my classroom.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Thing #17: Tagging and Social Bookmarking
While I was working on the blog post about Flickr, I was frustrated because I did not understand what the purpose of tags were. After watching the Common Craft video, I completely understand why tagging would be essential when using a social bookmarking site such as Delicious. I often find myself annoyed at how many bookmarks I have saved on my web browser and even when I have them sorted into folders, I still feel overwhelmed.
After creating my account, I typed in "educational technology." I was astounded by all of the tags that came up in relation to this phrase. There are thousands of websites saved on this page but somehow, the tagging system makes it way less chaotic. I can definitely see why social bookmarking would be useful in the classroom. First of all, these sites are available anywhere where there is internet access, which means that both students and teachers can quickly get to their favorite websites. This is unlike a bookmark bar which can only be accessed through one particular browser on one computer. Additionally, social bookmarking can be used to share ideas and resources between colleagues and students.
After creating my account, I typed in "educational technology." I was astounded by all of the tags that came up in relation to this phrase. There are thousands of websites saved on this page but somehow, the tagging system makes it way less chaotic. I can definitely see why social bookmarking would be useful in the classroom. First of all, these sites are available anywhere where there is internet access, which means that both students and teachers can quickly get to their favorite websites. This is unlike a bookmark bar which can only be accessed through one particular browser on one computer. Additionally, social bookmarking can be used to share ideas and resources between colleagues and students.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Thing #16: Getting Organized
Out of all of the choices for customized home pages, I chose iGoogle. After playing around on it for a little while, I was saddened to find out that iGoogle will be "phased out" next year. Bummer. I really like being able to see the weather, important news stories, Facebook and email notifications, etc. all on one page. I suppose I will keep iGoogle as my home page until it is phased out in 2013.
As for the calendars and to-do lists...I am the type of person who needs to have everything written down and organized in order to be productive. I have lists for literally everything one can think of and sometimes, I will write stuff on my list just so I can have the satisfaction of crossing it off. Although I can see how online calendars and to-do lists could be helpful, I prefer to hand-write events and things using an actual pencil and paper. Personally, I think it is much more work to open the internet, type in the web address, get to the correct screen, and type in each item in comparison to hand-writing the lists.
Here's a screen shot of the to-do list I created:
I think all of these tools could be used at home and at school, as long as the user had access to the internet when they wanted to view their calendar, list, etc. Call me old fashioned, but I'd much rather write my grocery list on a piece of paper. That way, when I go to the store, I can use my phone as a calculator and I won't have to worry about flipping from app to app!
As for the calendars and to-do lists...I am the type of person who needs to have everything written down and organized in order to be productive. I have lists for literally everything one can think of and sometimes, I will write stuff on my list just so I can have the satisfaction of crossing it off. Although I can see how online calendars and to-do lists could be helpful, I prefer to hand-write events and things using an actual pencil and paper. Personally, I think it is much more work to open the internet, type in the web address, get to the correct screen, and type in each item in comparison to hand-writing the lists.
Here's a screen shot of the to-do list I created:
I think all of these tools could be used at home and at school, as long as the user had access to the internet when they wanted to view their calendar, list, etc. Call me old fashioned, but I'd much rather write my grocery list on a piece of paper. That way, when I go to the store, I can use my phone as a calculator and I won't have to worry about flipping from app to app!
Thing #15: Wikis
My freshman year in college, I had a group project in which we had to create a wiki about a particular political issue. I was not a fan of this project whatsoever; maybe because I was the one who had to do most of the work or maybe because I didn't fully understand the concept of a wiki. After watching the video, "Wikis in Plain English," I had a more vivid picture of the concept. I also loved the example of 10th grade English Literature Circle wiki--what a creative way to hold a discussion!
For the Sandbox wiki activity, I created my own page titled, "Thing 8 by Emily Brennan." I uploaded one of my image creations from Thing 8 to share with my classmates. I also un-highlighted some text on Doshanna's page because I didn't like the color. I also deleted some superfluous bullet-points and changed the color of some text. How fun!
As with almost every technological advancement, there are good and bad points about wikis. I definitely think it's cool that everyone who views the wiki has the ability to change information. This gives way to an endless supply of knowledge, unless of course, someone decides to change or add information so that the wiki becomes incorrect and unreliable. That is the downfall of wikis. Sometimes, it is difficult for users to tell which information is correct and updated and which is not. Despite this, I think wikis are an excellent tool to facilitate learning. Wikis encourage cooperative learning and therefore, are a perfect option for a group project.
For the Sandbox wiki activity, I created my own page titled, "Thing 8 by Emily Brennan." I uploaded one of my image creations from Thing 8 to share with my classmates. I also un-highlighted some text on Doshanna's page because I didn't like the color. I also deleted some superfluous bullet-points and changed the color of some text. How fun!
As with almost every technological advancement, there are good and bad points about wikis. I definitely think it's cool that everyone who views the wiki has the ability to change information. This gives way to an endless supply of knowledge, unless of course, someone decides to change or add information so that the wiki becomes incorrect and unreliable. That is the downfall of wikis. Sometimes, it is difficult for users to tell which information is correct and updated and which is not. Despite this, I think wikis are an excellent tool to facilitate learning. Wikis encourage cooperative learning and therefore, are a perfect option for a group project.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Thing #14: Go with the Flow
The first website I clicked on was Gliffy. Gliffy is such a great site because not only users create flowcharts, but they also have access to template for Venn diagrams and other organizational tools. I decided to create a flow chart using this website. I did not particularly like the format and layout of the website, but I think with time and practice, I would get better at it. I started looking for ideas about what to make my flow chart on and I found this website that explained the meaning of the symbols. (elongated circles=start or end of the process, rectangles=show instructions, diamonds=decisions that have to be made). Who knew that those shapes actually had a meaning?? I decided to make a flowchart that outlined one of the main responsibilities I have at work: paying the bills.
Here's my example:
Next, I tried Bubbl. Before, I wasn't sure of the difference between mind maps and flow charts, but now I understand that mind maps are more of a "brainstorming" type of activity. I could see using a mind map before writing a paper or doing a project in order to get ones idea down on paper. This website was alright; I found it hard to get started, but I could see students enjoying the use of this website as a prewriting activity.
Here's my example:
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Thing #13: Web-based Applications
It took my mom and dad FOREVER to buy a laptop. They have had the same crappy, beastly, giant Dell computer for the past 11 years. When they finally did get a laptop (about 3 months ago), getting the software for it was a trauma. My dad complained that it was too expensive to buy brand new Microsoft Office software and my mom just didn't understand why they couldn't keep using the Dell. Luckily, my dad works at a school, so they offered to give him their software to download on the new computer. There, problem solved.
Others are not so lucky, however. They are forced to purchase expensive software that they will probably only use to download the applications one time in their life. That's why these web-based applications are so wonderful! Users can create a free account and have access to programs exactly like those available in Microsoft Office. Zoho has many tools such as Zoho Show, Zoho Sheet, Zoho Writer, and others. These applications look very similar to those in Microsoft so there's not a huge "learning curve" if users are accustomed to using Microsoft Office. I did notice, however, that there are not as many themes to use in Zoho Show (in comparison to Powerpoint) but hey, you get what you pay for (which in this case, is NOTHING!). The only downside I can see to these Web-based applications is that users must have access to the internet to work on their projects. When using Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Powerpoint, and Excel internet access is not necessary because it's already downloaded on your computer.
Google Docs is very similar to Zoho, although I think the layout of Zoho is closer to that of Microsoft Office. I had a little trouble finding my way around this application. The most exciting thing I found on Google Docs was the Template Section. There was a whole section labeled "Students and Teachers" and it included templates for grade reports, student achievement certificates, newsletters, syllabi and rubrics, presentation notecards, etc. It had so many resources for teachers and students. Students can use Google Docs to make group projects, take notes, and more. Here is a screenshot of the document I created in Google Docs:
Overall, I think I would prefer to use Google Docs over Zoho. Although I did not like the layout of Google, there were way more choices of themes, templates, etc to personalize each project.
Others are not so lucky, however. They are forced to purchase expensive software that they will probably only use to download the applications one time in their life. That's why these web-based applications are so wonderful! Users can create a free account and have access to programs exactly like those available in Microsoft Office. Zoho has many tools such as Zoho Show, Zoho Sheet, Zoho Writer, and others. These applications look very similar to those in Microsoft so there's not a huge "learning curve" if users are accustomed to using Microsoft Office. I did notice, however, that there are not as many themes to use in Zoho Show (in comparison to Powerpoint) but hey, you get what you pay for (which in this case, is NOTHING!). The only downside I can see to these Web-based applications is that users must have access to the internet to work on their projects. When using Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Powerpoint, and Excel internet access is not necessary because it's already downloaded on your computer.
Google Docs is very similar to Zoho, although I think the layout of Zoho is closer to that of Microsoft Office. I had a little trouble finding my way around this application. The most exciting thing I found on Google Docs was the Template Section. There was a whole section labeled "Students and Teachers" and it included templates for grade reports, student achievement certificates, newsletters, syllabi and rubrics, presentation notecards, etc. It had so many resources for teachers and students. Students can use Google Docs to make group projects, take notes, and more. Here is a screenshot of the document I created in Google Docs:
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