Thing 4-Photo Sharing

I would use photo-sharing sights and other related photo-resources in my teaching and learning as a means of giving the students a broader sense of the topics being taught. If the students are studying the history of a specific city or country, a slide show presentation of the famous sights being studied can be created. To take it a step further, the sights can be added to places and maps using Google Maps. That is impressive! Furthermore, in a performing ensemble class, photos of architecture and paintings can be shown to further enhance the music being practiced or the places where the composer lived. Students enjoy multi-media in the classroom. Incorporating a form, styles, in the arts approach broadens students understanding of the concepts being studied. How do you get permission to use the photo? Do you email the photographer asking for permission?

Thing 3

The 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Effective Learners was interesting and holds truth. Each habit brought on a series of thoughts to me, but two of the habits truly made a statement. The easiest habit for me is PLAY. I take pride in my effectiveness at play and I do feel that I am quite good at it! The hours fly by as I play on the computer reading blogs and Web-sites related to my profession and other areas of interest. My favorite adventure regarding technology is creating movies. I take pictures of my students and record movies and sounds within the classroom. At the end of the year, I put together a video slide show adding music and recordings of the students speaking about their thoughts pertaining to the information they have learned through out the year.

The hardest habit for me that causes the most challenge is to HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF AS A COMPETENT, EFFECTIVE LEARNER. As I take technology classes and ask many questions, I feel that I am becoming more and more comfortable with all that computers offer. I remember back in the late-1990's attending graduate school. Although I just bought my first computer prior to grad school, I lived an active lifestyle of teaching and bicycling, whereas technology was the furthest thought from my mind. I was overwhelmed with the amount of computer programs I was required to learn at grad school. The programs consisted of your basic PC Microsoft Office package and the ones required for the assessment and statistics class. Ten years later much technology has been learned! The biggest strides were made with the purchase of an Apple computer and gradually incorporating some of the programs into my professional and personal life.

Thing 2

A good blog has to have an aesthetic value that first attracts the reader's interest. The colors, pictures, and layout gives the first impression of the organization of the blog. The reader then begins reading the blog in hopes that new information will be learned that has value for future usage or possibly the information challenges his/her already existent knowledge. Furthermore, a good blog connects the reader to other people that would normally not be met, yet do share the same interests. Comments posted offer additional insight into the information that the blogger wrote about by expounding on the original topic.

A blog could enhance an existing school Web-site by getting school news quicker to parents as opposed to waiting for the school newsletter to be taken home or posted on the school website. Additionally, parents can share their insight about an event. For instance, the PTO can communicate effectively with parents through a website about the upcoming school fundraiser. Reminders can be blogged by the PTO members, as well as the outcome of the event. Also, a school blog allows for sharing of information, such as educational Internet sites, musical performances, or sports events.

I do believe that blogs are an easier way for people to self-publish. I have been reading a blog for about a year, whereas the author's goal is to get her first book published. The publishing company told her to create a blog and connect with a large audience. She has done both and in the meantime, was asked to write a chapter in a book of memoirs. The blogger clearly shares her intent with her readers in hopes that one day when her book is published we will purchase it and share the news with others. Her blog is read by readers around the world, which makes the comment sections quite interesting, thought provoking, and informative.

My initial thoughts about the Web 2.0 have remained the same being that I am still excited to learn how to use it effectively. I was surprised how easy it was to set up a blog, though. But overall, it is quit strange to think that I won't know who reads my blog unless a comment is posted.

23 Things-The First Thing

I hope to learn how to do all the assignments at a level where I can incorporate them into my classroom and personal life. I have heard about most of the items listed in the curriculum through other sources and now am looking forward to actually understanding and using them.