REFLECT: On your blog, think about how you might use SlideShare in the classroom. Title your post THING 9. Would this be a good way for your students to share their own PowerPoint presentations with the world? How else could you use the resources on SlideShare? What problems can you anticipate, and how could you solve them?
Response: As for using SlideShare I think that I would most likely use it on my classroom wiki. I would most likely find some slides and post them not only for my students to look at when at home or during computer time at school, but I could post some for my parents.
If I had an older grade I would most defiantly use this for them when creating a PowerPoint presentation. Or couldn't they also use the Google Docs for that? If so either one would work, but I would most likely have them use the Google Docs that way I could monitor their progress.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Thing 8 (Winter Session 2011)
REFLECT: On your blog write about your Google Docs experience. Please include the following:
What ideas do you have for how you could use this personally, professionally, or in your classroom with your students? Can you think of any possible problems? What are the advantages to working in the "cloud"? What are the disadvantages?
Response:
Since my students are younger I don't really think that I will be able to use this with them, however I do feel that I may use this a lot when doing work for my job. As I see it.....this sure beats carrying a jump-drive around on my neck all day. Besides I always worry about loosing the darn thing and having someone pick it up....that would not be good. As I see this, it is basically a "home" out there on the web where you can place all kinds of documents, and never have to worry about misplacing it or losing it. It is always there and waiting for you at any computer you wish to access it from. Well that sounds good to me. Just have to get used to using it now.
Only possible problem that I could foresee is maybe sending info to someone and then that person decides that they want to share it with the rest of the world. Then you may have a problem.
Another problem that I encountered when uploading my weekly note was, when it did upload the format changed and I do not like it as much as my regular note that I save on my jump-drive. There are definatly more features to regular Word on your desktop, and this I LOVE.
As for organization the Google Docs does look pretty easy to maintain, but I must say that my little jump-drive is pretty neat too. I know where everything is and in what folder. The organization most likely depends on the individual.
This is a wonderful tool when you want to share documents with other teachers in your building or district. This would be wonderful instead of getting the emails with attachments.
Overall I like the concept, and I will probably tinker with it and see which works best for me (Google Docs or my trusty jump-drive). Which will it be?????
What ideas do you have for how you could use this personally, professionally, or in your classroom with your students? Can you think of any possible problems? What are the advantages to working in the "cloud"? What are the disadvantages?
Response:
Since my students are younger I don't really think that I will be able to use this with them, however I do feel that I may use this a lot when doing work for my job. As I see it.....this sure beats carrying a jump-drive around on my neck all day. Besides I always worry about loosing the darn thing and having someone pick it up....that would not be good. As I see this, it is basically a "home" out there on the web where you can place all kinds of documents, and never have to worry about misplacing it or losing it. It is always there and waiting for you at any computer you wish to access it from. Well that sounds good to me. Just have to get used to using it now.
Only possible problem that I could foresee is maybe sending info to someone and then that person decides that they want to share it with the rest of the world. Then you may have a problem.
Another problem that I encountered when uploading my weekly note was, when it did upload the format changed and I do not like it as much as my regular note that I save on my jump-drive. There are definatly more features to regular Word on your desktop, and this I LOVE.
As for organization the Google Docs does look pretty easy to maintain, but I must say that my little jump-drive is pretty neat too. I know where everything is and in what folder. The organization most likely depends on the individual.
This is a wonderful tool when you want to share documents with other teachers in your building or district. This would be wonderful instead of getting the emails with attachments.
Overall I like the concept, and I will probably tinker with it and see which works best for me (Google Docs or my trusty jump-drive). Which will it be?????
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Thing 7 (Winter Session 2011)
COMPOSE a blog post (title it THING 7) that includes your reflections on social bookmarking.
Response: Well lets just say that I love this idea of social bookmarking. I get frustrated sometimes at school when I am trying to remember one of my bookmarks from my home computer and I come up blank. With Delicious that is no longer a problem. I love the idea that I can be at another computer anywhere and pull up the addresses of those websites that I use often for school, or home. It is nice to not constantly have to sit at one computer and do EVERYTHING...change of background.
Another I idea that I really like that goes along with Delicious is that I can take a look at what other 1st Grade teachers look up for their classroom. This is a valuable tool.....epically if you come from a district that is huge and there are many of the same grade teachers.
I just can't wait to dive into this and start tagging more!!!!
Response: Well lets just say that I love this idea of social bookmarking. I get frustrated sometimes at school when I am trying to remember one of my bookmarks from my home computer and I come up blank. With Delicious that is no longer a problem. I love the idea that I can be at another computer anywhere and pull up the addresses of those websites that I use often for school, or home. It is nice to not constantly have to sit at one computer and do EVERYTHING...change of background.
Another I idea that I really like that goes along with Delicious is that I can take a look at what other 1st Grade teachers look up for their classroom. This is a valuable tool.....epically if you come from a district that is huge and there are many of the same grade teachers.
I just can't wait to dive into this and start tagging more!!!!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Thing 4 (Winter Session 2011)
REFLECT on what you've observed and how it applies to YOU (both personally and professionally) and ultimately to your students.
WRITE a blog post on your Blogger blog in which you share your observations, feelings, questions and ideas of what "Web 2.0" and "Teaching & Learning in the 21st Century" means to you.
Reflection:
As I think back to when my family got its first computer, all I remember using it for was for research. I really don't recall anything else that we did on our computer. Then as time when on I remember my friends and I getting home from high school and going onto chat rooms and talking on yahoo or instant messenger. When college came around I remember getting my laptop, and as the years progressed I used my computer more and more. Now there is not a day that goes by when I am not on the computer, either for school or personal. Heck, I got my 1st blackberry for Christmas and lets just say that I love it! I love it because now I do not always have to sit at my computer and check my email or updates on facebook. My phone lets me know and I check it right away. Not to mention I love responding back to emails on my phone verses being on the computer.....I have no idea why.
So as I sit here and write about what I love about the technology in my life, I can't begin to imagine how my students must feel about it. I remember that my elementary school first got a computer room when I was in the 3rd grade. My students now have always grown up with this kind of technology and info at their finger tips. My niece who is 3 years old is constantly on the internet playing games........and let me mention again that she is 3. She knows how to start the computer and get onto the internet! WOW!!!
It is important that we, the teachers of today, continue to learn about what new technology is out there and then figure out a way in which to use/apply it within our classrooms. I want my students to enjoy learning, and what better way to reach them than to use what they know, are comfortable with, familiar with, and enjoy. The hardest part is teaching oneself to use it and then apply it. But as I have learned over my past year of teaching, an old dog can learn new tricks, you just have to be open to the experience. So here is my experience and yes I am listening!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Thing 3 (Winter Session 2011)
Question:
How has teaching and learning have changed since you were a child, and how they are still the same?
Answer:
Well since I was little things have changes a lot, but things have also stayed the same. Some of the more recent changes are;
-the use of technology within the classroom (Example: My teachers would use overhead projectors & transparencies, but I get to use a document camera which is my bff. Lets just say that in the beginning of my teaching career I thought I would be carrying on the tradition of using transparencies, but I am so glad that I am not. I almost broke the copier trying to make a transparency.)
-No more blackboards....YEAH no more chalk dust...yuckie stuff
-more group work instead of individual work
-the students have computers now in the classroom and they are not for practicing their typing skills.....like ours were...no wait we only had computers in the computer lab
-more hands on learning instead of only relaying in the textbooks
-more unique ways to present information or a lesson to students...abstract thinking to reach them
-handwriting seems to have become a lost art form
Ways it has not changed:
-still sit in desks
-still have lots of textbooks
How has teaching and learning have changed since you were a child, and how they are still the same?
Answer:
Well since I was little things have changes a lot, but things have also stayed the same. Some of the more recent changes are;
-the use of technology within the classroom (Example: My teachers would use overhead projectors & transparencies, but I get to use a document camera which is my bff. Lets just say that in the beginning of my teaching career I thought I would be carrying on the tradition of using transparencies, but I am so glad that I am not. I almost broke the copier trying to make a transparency.)
-No more blackboards....YEAH no more chalk dust...yuckie stuff
-more group work instead of individual work
-the students have computers now in the classroom and they are not for practicing their typing skills.....like ours were...no wait we only had computers in the computer lab
-more hands on learning instead of only relaying in the textbooks
-more unique ways to present information or a lesson to students...abstract thinking to reach them
-handwriting seems to have become a lost art form
Ways it has not changed:
-still sit in desks
-still have lots of textbooks
Thing 2 (Winter Session 2011)
Thing 2 Questions:
Have you blogged before?
Have you read blogs before?
How does it feel to share your thoughts so publicly?
What are your fears or concerns about blogging?
Thing 2 Answers:
I have blogged before......as you can see from my previous posts when I took this class in the summer. Sadly I did not finish.....but I WILL NOW!!!
Yes, I do read a blog. It belongs to my sister-in-law who is a photographer in Austin, Texas. She loves to blog and does it like 3-4 times a week. I usually read it to keep up to date with how they are doing.
Well here I am again, and I must admit that I am still not comfortable blogging. Why you may ask, well it's because this information will be out there for all the world to see and I still feel as if I have nothing to say of interest to people and I am afraid that the wrong thing could be said and then it will be there forever out in web, like those accounts we create and then abandon.
I guess overall I am still not quite unsure about the blogging. I mean I have seen so many of my friends take this to a new level. Most people share there life and I guess I just don't want to share my life with the www (world wide web). Maybe I am a more personal person. I guess what I am trying to say is that I see to many people make silly mistakes posting inappropriate stuff on the web. Once you get too comfortable you can become careless. I guess I worry to much.
Have you blogged before?
Have you read blogs before?
How does it feel to share your thoughts so publicly?
What are your fears or concerns about blogging?
Thing 2 Answers:
I have blogged before......as you can see from my previous posts when I took this class in the summer. Sadly I did not finish.....but I WILL NOW!!!
Yes, I do read a blog. It belongs to my sister-in-law who is a photographer in Austin, Texas. She loves to blog and does it like 3-4 times a week. I usually read it to keep up to date with how they are doing.
Well here I am again, and I must admit that I am still not comfortable blogging. Why you may ask, well it's because this information will be out there for all the world to see and I still feel as if I have nothing to say of interest to people and I am afraid that the wrong thing could be said and then it will be there forever out in web, like those accounts we create and then abandon.
I guess overall I am still not quite unsure about the blogging. I mean I have seen so many of my friends take this to a new level. Most people share there life and I guess I just don't want to share my life with the www (world wide web). Maybe I am a more personal person. I guess what I am trying to say is that I see to many people make silly mistakes posting inappropriate stuff on the web. Once you get too comfortable you can become careless. I guess I worry to much.
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