T and L Final Reflection Text

This is just the text from the podcast below as we need to post a reflective blog as well....

I realized that the technology I knew and have come to appreciate and feel so comfortable using was part of Web 1.0. I was skeptical of including the use of tech in my own classroom, b/c I have always thought it to be e-mail and the suite of Windows programs. Little did I know that there was this whole huge world out there of new and improved web 2.0 tools and applications just waiting for me to discover.

Prior to this class, I was aware and using google docs in a college level writing class to conduct writing conferences. Personally, I use tech to stay in touch with friends and family that are located all over the US and the world—Germany, Iraq, and Afganistan. I have used gmail and skpye to accomplish this. I knew too that a vast majority of students used the tech in the same manner.

My main desire for this class was to actually learn some new technology for me. It’s really typical that in most tech courses I have taken, I could have taught the course. The tech class that was originally in my program of studies to take, would have been one of these—thanks, but no thanks to paying 1200$ to learn how to use google docs in a classroom. I’ve already mastered that trick. With this mindset, I enrolled in this class with a skeptical mind.

However many weeks later, I must say, I am so excited to teach and to use these tools, techniques, applications and more that I have learned about and become so comfortable around. I have already created a unit plan that utilizes a wiki, glogster and I’m thinking about adding a podcasting project for students as well (we’ll see how my 1^st podcast goes). I’ve been observing a middle-school English teacher all semester and have so many ideas for my own student teaching and classroom (podcasting book reviews, character glogs).

I’ve also become addicted to my google reader and check it at least twice a day. Through this, I’ve discovered so many great educational and tech based blogs that I am continuing to learn more and more. All of these I keep track of on diigo. I talk about the course so much, that others have expressed wanting to take it as well.

This has been one of the best courses I have taken and also has the most real-world applications for me. My fingers are crossed that I eventually am in a school district that supports and embraces Web2.0 in the class. And if not, I’ve learned some tips and tricks from this class to show how vital these tools are in ones curriculum.

T and L Final Reflection and Podcast

Here is my final reflection in podcast format. I must say, using the podomatic software was a breeze and I could really see myself using podcasting for lessons in the future. It was also super easy to embed in the blog. Anyone know if it's as easy to do so in a wiki?

Now I just need to practice speaking to record and if I didn't have a cold, it would have been better. Also, I feel that I sound like a young boy in recordings :-(

T & L Final Reflection

Vanessa Alander's Podcast

Webinar--Using Glogster in a Classroom

I found this a while ago on the archive list of webinars on Classroom2.0. I've really taken away and taken glogs to heart and am looking forward to using them in the classroom. I can see their use as endless... So I really wanted to watch this webinar...

Again, I like that glogster has a private (educational use only) side and a public side--as this presenter pointed out. This is key re: using in a school... Glogster.edu is safe and monitored by teachers. The use of glogster in interactive and integrates cross-curriculum disciplines.

33%of online teens share their creations online... we as teachers need to harness this power...

This site has lots of links for music that can be used for free w/o copyright infringements. This is something to keep in mind and fair use and copyright issues are huge; however, you can use this as teachable moment to teach copyright law to students...

This webinar addressed something I was interested in--the use of glogs from a teacher point of view....

• as a way to communicate with parents re: administrative information of going on's in the classroom
• links to a wiki site
• fosters development and communication between parents, teacher, classroom and school

I also like how edu glogster allows one-click relationships with other Web2.0 tools (wikis, vokis, blogs and more)... And they also focus primarily on the safety and privacy of students forefront.

Glogster is also key to allow for differential instructions for a mixed ability classroom.

This is a GREAT example of a timeline glogster... What teacher wouldn't want to use this???

These glogs are able to be embeded into wikis, blogs, facebook and MORE!!!

Is the world flatter?

After viewing the info on our wiki, I looked up the title of the book on wikipedia and found this to be helpful in understanding the concept. I do understand what Friedman states. The most powerful statement I found Friedman state was that, "when the world was round, people downloaded information but now that the world is flat people are uploading information."

Wow... Think about that... The power has shifted from the larger corporations and organizations to the individuals.

Friedman also states that by having the world being 'flat' and people interacting horizontally instead of vertically, the educational productivity gained is unmeasurable. This makes me think back to the idea that if we are sooo connected, is the gain worth it? Again, not sure... I understand his idea and think he's right, I'm just not sure if I want the world to go down this rabbit hole.

My lil' Monster just turned two and someone called and asked if he had a laptop yet? Huh? A laptop geared towards toddlers that hooks up to your TV. The Monster barely watches Sesame Street and you want him to have a laptop? Technology and connectedness needs to be balanced... And I think Friedman would agree.

affordable plan book software...

Again, stumbled upon this (there is so much other stuff I should be doing)...

$30 for planbook software developed by a fulltime teacher... looks decent...

Interactive Whiteboar-- $50 or $2000???

I just discovered this information and wanted to share with all of you.  A common brick wall in tech in classrooms is cost.  An interactive white board is an amazing piece of technology, but not many school districts can afford them for each classroom; however, most classes now have the projectors.  A researcher, Johnny Lee has developed an easy way for teachers and others to create their own interactive white boards using the $40 wii remote and a simple DIY LED pen.  Lee's homepage is here.  Here is Lee introducing his researching in a youTube video...





Here, Lee shows how to actually set it up...



There is now an interactive website, discussion board and wiki re: this low-cost, high-impact technology.

This great resource has a full-length pdf file, more video and more re: this technique by Lee.  This video is very helpful and I'm fairly confident that most anyone could do this...





This is a GREAT video based on Lee's concept.  The software that is necessary is FREE!!!  How amazing is that.... (available from Johnny Lee's website)... There is now also Mac versions available...

Just thought I'd share this great, affordable resource...