Thing 23
Just recently, I was able to play with ZoHo. I have always been interested in how you could work with documents from home and work alike without having to take copies home (prior to laptops and floppy disks/data sticks). Now that we do have the data sticks, my new thoughts are how these documents can be shared with others and not just yourself from one place to another. The great thing about Wikis is how you can easily create a Wiki and have various groups work through them. What a great way to collaborate with colleagues and the community on different projects. An added feature to sharing would be Del.icio.us. I have had an account with them since the beginning of the school year of which was generated through a brief presentation from tech leaders in our county. I haven't taken full advantage of this account as much as I probably should but this would be a great way to share good sites with colleagues as well.
Going into this course, I had assumed that I was close to being on the cutting edge to work with my own children. How fullish of me to think that. My children find it humorous when watching me take on this venture. Needless to say, how far ahead are the students in our county to where we are? We are only catching up to them. My thing is the application of these great things. Time is limited and precious. A juggling act at times. Putting pertinence on the different "Things" when working on projects or incorporating more technology will be a task for me with most of these things. I am just now on top of Podcasts and finding comfort there. I guess it is time to stretch my comfort zone once again and push forward in the world of technology.
In summary, this has been a great experience. Time was a struggle to find in doing most of these 'things'. I found more than 50% of the tasks if not 75% of them either easy or in my capabilities of figuring out without great assistance. There are those limited few things that I can see not being place in the forefront due to my weakness in them or lack of finding how they would fit into my world at this time.
Thanks to the public library system for affording us this opportunity and opening our eyes to what great 'things' are out there.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
AudioBooks
Thing 22
What is so great about having an iTunes account is the access to the multiple media they have available to you. There are multiple things you can download for free but plenty to purchase.
I had mentioned in my blog for Thing 21 that I have an iPod Classic. I have a library of music, games, audiobooks, TV shows and movies saved both on my computer at home and on my iPod.
I first became interested in audiobooks when I began to travel to meetings and wanted to have something to listen to other than music at times. Now that I have 'upgraded' myself with the iPod, I have books by Grisham among others that I have access to when ready to listen to them. I am not able to read while in motion, so this is a great way for me to travel and be able to keep up with the latest books.
Check out iTunes and see what books you like to download for both your computer and iPod. You'll enjoy it.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/audiobooks.html
Podcasting
Thing 21
What is great about this is how much I use iTunes. My sons all had accounts with iTunes and had MP3 Players and now their iPods. Cupid brought me my own iPods Classic recently and what fun I have had with it. I now have my own account with iTunes and have downloaded music, videos, games and books. This has become a great tool for me to use for my trips both for work and with my family.
I had never messed with my children's iPods where I had no interest in it. Now that I have my own, I have really enjoyed it and can understand why my children find interest in the many uses for it.
I recommend for anyone to look into an iPod. We have all the pieces to use in the house and hook ups to hear it through out car stero as well. Long flights and drives are not as bad when you have the music or latest book you are trying to keep up on.
What is great about this is how much I use iTunes. My sons all had accounts with iTunes and had MP3 Players and now their iPods. Cupid brought me my own iPods Classic recently and what fun I have had with it. I now have my own account with iTunes and have downloaded music, videos, games and books. This has become a great tool for me to use for my trips both for work and with my family.
I had never messed with my children's iPods where I had no interest in it. Now that I have my own, I have really enjoyed it and can understand why my children find interest in the many uses for it.
I recommend for anyone to look into an iPod. We have all the pieces to use in the house and hook ups to hear it through out car stero as well. Long flights and drives are not as bad when you have the music or latest book you are trying to keep up on.
YouTube
Thing 20
I have thoroughly enjoyed this site. I have found laughter and seriousness in all sorts of clips. If you want to have a good laugh, you need to watch this 9 minute clip. I can see how this would benefit you in most cases for enjoyment and connections to what we do with real world application with subject areas in the classroom as long as you take the time to search for the appropriate clip.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this site. I have found laughter and seriousness in all sorts of clips. If you want to have a good laugh, you need to watch this 9 minute clip. I can see how this would benefit you in most cases for enjoyment and connections to what we do with real world application with subject areas in the classroom as long as you take the time to search for the appropriate clip.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Web 2.0 Awards List
Thing 19
I chose Wufoo from the 2.0 awards list. It allows you to make forms. The first 3 forms are free and charges are added from that point. This would be beneficial to share with the Reading Coaches to use for their evaluations from their data meetings and Professional devleopment with teachers while adding technology to their meetings.
I did try to play with some of the game sites to play versus think but our server has those blocked. So much for fun after hours.
We have a site for creating forms already but this would be a good one to share with teachers to use with their students in class to rate books, etc.
I chose Wufoo from the 2.0 awards list. It allows you to make forms. The first 3 forms are free and charges are added from that point. This would be beneficial to share with the Reading Coaches to use for their evaluations from their data meetings and Professional devleopment with teachers while adding technology to their meetings.
I did try to play with some of the game sites to play versus think but our server has those blocked. So much for fun after hours.
We have a site for creating forms already but this would be a good one to share with teachers to use with their students in class to rate books, etc.
Zoho
Thing 18
Zoho Writer
Here is the link. Creating an account is just the beginning.
http://writer.zoho.com/
I can see the benefits of this site. You can have all your documents online and offline too. Having access to what you have created from any computer, at home or at work seems to be a need for me at times. This would be a great tool to save from having to carry files, data sticks, etc. when you can have an account like this at your fingertips. Instant collaboration between members in the departments you are working with on the spot versus having to email attachments back and forth and or pulling people out of their rooms to meet. This seems to be a time saver. Actually using it would be the thing at this point. Habits are hard to break as the quote goes.
Zoho Writer
Here is the link. Creating an account is just the beginning.
http://writer.zoho.com/
I can see the benefits of this site. You can have all your documents online and offline too. Having access to what you have created from any computer, at home or at work seems to be a need for me at times. This would be a great tool to save from having to carry files, data sticks, etc. when you can have an account like this at your fingertips. Instant collaboration between members in the departments you are working with on the spot versus having to email attachments back and forth and or pulling people out of their rooms to meet. This seems to be a time saver. Actually using it would be the thing at this point. Habits are hard to break as the quote goes.
Wikis
Thing 16
http://somerset-promethean-resources.wikispaces.com/
It was great to see Somerset on the map with their own Wikispace at SIS. What a great way to work on the various projects in the county. This could be a central location for reading teachers to post projects related to various novels. Math teachers could add problems of the week. Science teachers could had projects for the students to explore and work on in collaborative groups for project grades. How about expeditions for the Social Studies groups. The list could go on and on. At the level we are, we could work on the various strategies being used to motivate and move our faculties and students. How about the Master Plan and the documentation needed for that. I see many uses for Wikis.
http://somerset-promethean-resources.wikispaces.com/
It was great to see Somerset on the map with their own Wikispace at SIS. What a great way to work on the various projects in the county. This could be a central location for reading teachers to post projects related to various novels. Math teachers could add problems of the week. Science teachers could had projects for the students to explore and work on in collaborative groups for project grades. How about expeditions for the Social Studies groups. The list could go on and on. At the level we are, we could work on the various strategies being used to motivate and move our faculties and students. How about the Master Plan and the documentation needed for that. I see many uses for Wikis.
Web 2.0 and Libraries
Thing 15
Quote from Michael Stephens (Librarian, Blogger )
"One of the principles I would add to the Library 2.0 meme is that “the Library is human” because it makes the library a social and emotionally engaging center for learning and experience."
I am seeing the Media Specialists in the elementary libraries bring the media center to life more and more. There are literature studies taking place. Technology is in the forefront. The kids are truly engaged and enjoying their experience when they visit the media center. This librarian recognizes how quickly the world and library users change with advancing technology. It starts with the kids. I see how these articles will help/guide/enhance the use of the media center with the specialists being the ones to guide the use of the articles in assisting the teachers with bringing technology to the forefront when completing projects.
What are your thoughts?
Quote from Michael Stephens (Librarian, Blogger )
"One of the principles I would add to the Library 2.0 meme is that “the Library is human” because it makes the library a social and emotionally engaging center for learning and experience."
I am seeing the Media Specialists in the elementary libraries bring the media center to life more and more. There are literature studies taking place. Technology is in the forefront. The kids are truly engaged and enjoying their experience when they visit the media center. This librarian recognizes how quickly the world and library users change with advancing technology. It starts with the kids. I see how these articles will help/guide/enhance the use of the media center with the specialists being the ones to guide the use of the articles in assisting the teachers with bringing technology to the forefront when completing projects.
What are your thoughts?
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