I made a google alert to see if I would get any info about the TAKS test and changes coming to the high school. I will have to come back and post if I get any updated information on this.
The other thing that I did was the iGoogle. I set up what information I wanted on there and it was so neat how you can have humor, games, sports and the home page has you tube videos along with the weather of the city that you live in. There is so much information packed into this one link it is unbelievable. To get this all I have to do is click on the google word in my menu bar and it goes straight to igoogle. While I was imputing the information it let me pick a header, so I pick the last one, the frog. It is so cute and reminds me of what my family and I are about to do. Go camping at Fort Wilderness! It gave me a warm fuzzy relaxed feeling after it appeared.
This experience so far has been at times over whelming but I really have enjoyed it so far. I probably could have been a lot further along but I get lost playing on the "things" that we are doing! :)
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thing #11
This can be overwhelming and confusing. There is so much info out there. The site that I found easiest was Topix. Right from the beginning it asked for your location and gave local news that I did not even realize was out there. I live in Crandall and have never realized until now that there is information out there about the news here. One of the articles that was there about phishing I had actually had the same phone call at 1:30 am and knew something was wrong with the situation. I also read some blogs about some things that have happened around town. The regional and national news are also on the site. I learned how to make a link for topix in my menu bar and will use it to stay up to date with what news is going on here.
Thing #10
Well I created 2 readers on accident. I used google which was already set up pretty much and added the Dallas morning news. Then I went to a couple of other sites and they set up accounts using my internet explorer Microsoft feed. I like the microsoft feed since it is easy to just click on my favorites and then the feed button and all of the places I want to check out are there. I really haven't found a site that will be helpful for me at school yet but I will be searching and will place it in my feed favs as soon as I find it. I think that when I do find something it will keep me up to date on some of the latest information and will come to me instead of searching for it. Will update when I find something.
Thing #9
I used image chef to play around and time has flown. (Yea! I figured out how to do the link of the site and it is really easy. Don't forget that the instructions are in an email,additional info, that Mary sent us back on June 18th.) I created a neon sign and placed it at the bottom of the page along with a couple of others on the side. It is a lot of fun and my kids have also had fun with the jersey creations on the site. Using this site along with flickr to post projects and other information will really dress the site up and make it more visual and interesting. I will be playing more with these sites to figure out what else to do but on to #10....!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Thing #8
Playing with the puzzle maker was fun! I used one of the photos that I shot last year when the 7-11 was made into the store like on the Simpson's. The kids loved it and really thought it was neat when I showed them the picture could be created into a puzzle. I also looked at the letter creator and really liked it also. The only thing about the letters is that I could not figure out how to make them smaller so that it would show up and look better on my blog. I think many of these sites could be used just to catch the interest of the kids to show how learning can be fun!
Thing #7
This was fun!!! I think that after vacation next week that I will upload and organize my photos. This site will be fun for taking pictures of the kids projects and posting them. They loved it last year when I took pictures and placed them in a slide show. I think that taking the pictures and placing them in flickr will be even a neater place for them to look and see their work. I bet I could play with this for hours!!!! What fun. Now all I have to do is figure out how to post a picture to the 23things site. Will return hopefully soon to comment on this.
I am back... and it wasn't all that hard to post the picture. I am so suprised how easy and addicting this stuff can really be. My son keeps telling me that it is time to go to bed so I guess that I had better get off of here and quit playing around.
I am back... and it wasn't all that hard to post the picture. I am so suprised how easy and addicting this stuff can really be. My son keeps telling me that it is time to go to bed so I guess that I had better get off of here and quit playing around.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Thing #6
I am trying to get organized this summer and decided to take a look at Backpack. I really liked the calendar aspect since my household schedule is very hectic with athletic schedules, boy scout meetings, camps, and just the everyday "little stuff" that goes on. The calendar creates color coded schedules for each person so that you know who needs to go where. I really like that since both of my sons names are similar and I have on occasion mixed up who had a ball game just glancing at our calendar. It will also text you a reminder if you set it up.
For school, the librarian could post class usage schedules and a teacher could view it and make plans before she called to reserve the library for certain periods. Our librarian could also use the calendar to email reminders to the teachers about their scheduled times the day before or when ever he wanted to remind them. It has ome pretty neat features.
Also at the high school level with the many different athletic teams a compacted sports schedule could be made and posted for all to see. There are features that would allow many users to input information and color code it. The coaches could place their own schedules here and revise it when there were rain outs for everyone to know when and where games would be made up! This way maybe coaches could try and schedule on days that did not conflict with other sporting events.
Back pack will also help you with to do lists, share info with specific groups instead of mass emails, have group discussions on the message board, and a newsroom that lets you know when someone adds or changes information
At first I thought that this would be great because it said sign up for FREE!!! But I went back to look a little closer to sign up and saw at the top in tiny words... sign up and pricing. :( For an individual it is only seven dollars a month and it will email you or text you reminders if you would like. For groups it ranged from 24-99 dollars a month. You can try it for "Free" for 30 days to see if you like it but then have to start paying at the end of that period.
There is a "free plan" that does include 2 users and 5 pages, but no calendar, message boards, or file sharing.
Well, I won't be using it since the calendar is not included but it really had me excited at first and I think it would be a great tool but not for me right now. Any way, I will keep searching to find something besides my credit union calendar that is always falling apart by the end of the year!!! If anyone has information on some calendars that work for them just let me know!! :)
For school, the librarian could post class usage schedules and a teacher could view it and make plans before she called to reserve the library for certain periods. Our librarian could also use the calendar to email reminders to the teachers about their scheduled times the day before or when ever he wanted to remind them. It has ome pretty neat features.
Also at the high school level with the many different athletic teams a compacted sports schedule could be made and posted for all to see. There are features that would allow many users to input information and color code it. The coaches could place their own schedules here and revise it when there were rain outs for everyone to know when and where games would be made up! This way maybe coaches could try and schedule on days that did not conflict with other sporting events.
Back pack will also help you with to do lists, share info with specific groups instead of mass emails, have group discussions on the message board, and a newsroom that lets you know when someone adds or changes information
At first I thought that this would be great because it said sign up for FREE!!! But I went back to look a little closer to sign up and saw at the top in tiny words... sign up and pricing. :( For an individual it is only seven dollars a month and it will email you or text you reminders if you would like. For groups it ranged from 24-99 dollars a month. You can try it for "Free" for 30 days to see if you like it but then have to start paying at the end of that period.
There is a "free plan" that does include 2 users and 5 pages, but no calendar, message boards, or file sharing.
Well, I won't be using it since the calendar is not included but it really had me excited at first and I think it would be a great tool but not for me right now. Any way, I will keep searching to find something besides my credit union calendar that is always falling apart by the end of the year!!! If anyone has information on some calendars that work for them just let me know!! :)
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Thing #5
Web 2.0? WOW!!!
I didn't realize how much was out there, and had been using most of the web as read only. As educators we really need to get on board so that we can help our students, which most already know how to do the "write" aspect of 2.0 (my space), and teach them how to use it to their advantage correctly! They need to know how to use the web to enhance their learning and we need to learn it ourselves and experiment(play) with it. In one site they commented on how the web is the next explosion in education like the printing press was earlier to education. I believe they are correct. Students now days really do strive to know more and the technology used in the classroom really does make them come alive. I can see that this PFK class is really going to help those of us taking it come "Alive" to the revolution of the web this next year. I hope you all are as excited as I am after reading the things that I have.
I always tell my students that "The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know!!! Wow, I have a lot to learn but I am ready! :)
I didn't realize how much was out there, and had been using most of the web as read only. As educators we really need to get on board so that we can help our students, which most already know how to do the "write" aspect of 2.0 (my space), and teach them how to use it to their advantage correctly! They need to know how to use the web to enhance their learning and we need to learn it ourselves and experiment(play) with it. In one site they commented on how the web is the next explosion in education like the printing press was earlier to education. I believe they are correct. Students now days really do strive to know more and the technology used in the classroom really does make them come alive. I can see that this PFK class is really going to help those of us taking it come "Alive" to the revolution of the web this next year. I hope you all are as excited as I am after reading the things that I have.
I always tell my students that "The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know!!! Wow, I have a lot to learn but I am ready! :)
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Thing #4 - Commenting is important
Visited 5 23 thingsters blogs:
Wendys Wandering- just browsing and saw her you tube entry. It reminded me of an old friend that I use to play softball with and she would act the same way!
Crickets Corner- loved the posting of the picture of her horse.
23rd power- looked at her site because she was finished. Congratulations! Her you tube site comments gave me information on what sites we would most likely be able to use since you tube would be blocked most of the time.
Valerie views- she liked adding tabs to igoogle just like I did and played around a lot. I told her to try google calendar out since she was looking for something to get organized.
Kimberly's Corner- I agreed with her that delicious would be a great site to pool information together and that I had already talked one teacher into doing this next school year.
Other blogs: I commented on two blogs that were from topix. It was about the Crandall sign that looks unfinished and on how scammers were targeting the Crandall area. I had gotten a call at 1:30 in the morning and warned people to be aware of these calls. The Crandall sign looks unfinished and I was looking to see if anyone knew what was going on with the sign. One person answered and said that they had been told that it was completed! Oh no, I hope not. I will be checking back to see if it is true.
I can see how it is important to comment so that you can see what others have written and you can get answers like I did on Wendys wanderings site on something that I was wondering about also. It is also fun to see what others think about what you have written! The comments also let you see what others may have seen and you didn't. I always like to see what others have commented on these sites. Some times though people comment and really shouldn't. That is when I just go on to other places.
Wendys Wandering- just browsing and saw her you tube entry. It reminded me of an old friend that I use to play softball with and she would act the same way!
Crickets Corner- loved the posting of the picture of her horse.
23rd power- looked at her site because she was finished. Congratulations! Her you tube site comments gave me information on what sites we would most likely be able to use since you tube would be blocked most of the time.
Valerie views- she liked adding tabs to igoogle just like I did and played around a lot. I told her to try google calendar out since she was looking for something to get organized.
Kimberly's Corner- I agreed with her that delicious would be a great site to pool information together and that I had already talked one teacher into doing this next school year.
Other blogs: I commented on two blogs that were from topix. It was about the Crandall sign that looks unfinished and on how scammers were targeting the Crandall area. I had gotten a call at 1:30 in the morning and warned people to be aware of these calls. The Crandall sign looks unfinished and I was looking to see if anyone knew what was going on with the sign. One person answered and said that they had been told that it was completed! Oh no, I hope not. I will be checking back to see if it is true.
I can see how it is important to comment so that you can see what others have written and you can get answers like I did on Wendys wanderings site on something that I was wondering about also. It is also fun to see what others think about what you have written! The comments also let you see what others may have seen and you didn't. I always like to see what others have commented on these sites. Some times though people comment and really shouldn't. That is when I just go on to other places.
Thing #3 - Register your blog
I originally hoped to have a site posting class information but I think it is going to go way beyond what I originally expected. Keeping parents informed and being able to use the blogging aspect was something I had not thought of. I hope this next year that I will be able to incorporate the many thing that I am learning. It is exciting and thrilling to learn these things to be able to use in and outside the classroom. I know that I will have many more things to add the further I get into the "23 things".
Thing #2- Create a blog and an avatar
Deciding on a name was easy since I coach tennis and just thought it would be reflective of who I am and I might even use it later for my classes.
The whole process of creating the blog was pretty easy once I told everyone to leave me alone and not to interrupt me for a while.
The avatar does reflect my personality. I love being outdoors playing sports. The only thing is I wish I looked like this now! :) It looks like me about 10 years ago before kids!!!!
Any way it was a lot of fun making it and dressing her in a tennis outfit!!!!
The whole process of creating the blog was pretty easy once I told everyone to leave me alone and not to interrupt me for a while.
The avatar does reflect my personality. I love being outdoors playing sports. The only thing is I wish I looked like this now! :) It looks like me about 10 years ago before kids!!!!
Any way it was a lot of fun making it and dressing her in a tennis outfit!!!!
Thing #1 - Lifelong learning and learning 2.0
Well the easiest of the seven habits was to begin with the end in mind. I want to be able to set up a site for my students to get homework assignments and post information about projects when I am finished with this class. I have wanted to do this in the past but haven't had time coaching and with my own kids schedules. Doing this during the summer is a big advantage. I guess that the hardest of the habits for me was confidence in being able to make a site but I will do it!!!! I love the idea of playing to learn! When I read this on the beginning page of the class I thought oh no but after getting this going I think it will be great!
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