Week 10: Video on the Web

This is a video that I intend to use to as an example for my 5th grade students. In May I will have the 5th grade students work in groups of 4 to make videos that deal with the topic of book care. I will provide them with the necessary materials and resources as well as a scoring rubric so they can monitor their success. I look forward to seeing what their creativity brings out!

Week 9: Instant Messaging

I currently use Facebook to stay in touch with friends and family.

I decided to use Yahoo! Messenger for this assignment so that I wouldn't have to remember another password. I can see myself using an IM format in the evenings when I am not at work because my school district will not allow me to download what I need to make the program run.

Concerns with IM?
1.) Know who you are talking to.
2.) Don't accept every person that requests you as a friend.
3.) If you don't recognize the address - don't say yes.
4.) I don't like using IM at work because I get wrapped up in conversations when I should be working.

Week 8: Cloud Computing

I have really challenged myself with this topic and it has taken me awhile to get info posted to my blog. Anyway, I have decided to create a wiki for my faculty and staff. We have been in the habit of sending each other an email when we come across a "good" website. I figured this would be a good way to get our information organized, and it would make everyone feel that they could actively contribute to the wiki.

I also have seen how wikis are useful for presenters to use for getting information out to their audience. In the past when I attended conferences I came home with a packet of papers, notes all jumbled in the margins, etc. But now, I usually come back with a wiki address and I feel like I can access the presenters information whenever, and it's exciting because the information is not static - but ongoing and interactive.

The address for my wiki is: http://jeffersonjaguars.wikispaces.com/



Check it out - join it- contribute!! :-)

Week 7: Microblogging

I am now on Twitter! I started my Twitter account last year after attending the spring MACE conference but then didn't do much with it. Now I have people to follow, some accounts coming to me through RSS feeds, and it looks much more promising as far as my using it goes.

Currently I am following various librarians from the 23 Things Kansas website, Hall Davidson - he was one of the presenters at the spring MACE conference, and he describes himself as a hopeless ed tech geek since '73, and Elizabeth Kohut - she is a SMART certified trainer and Discovery Educator (she even does training on how to use Twitter!)

I am finding their posts helpful because they give me tech ideas. I am hoping that Tweeting with the 23 Things Kansas librarians will be helpful too. As far as uses for Twitter go, right now I see it as a way to connect with other educators worldwide. I hope to use it for personal reasons in the near future!!

Tagging and Social Bookmarking

This is my first attempt at social bookmarking and I really like the idea of being able to access my bookmarks from any computer. Setting up my account was relatively easy, but I did use all of the tutorials. I imported all of my favorites and now I have the task of organizing this information to make it more user-friendly for the public (especially fellow teachers, library colleagues, etc.) Tagging will allow me to develop a resource list for students and teachers that they can access while keeping my personal bookmarks private.

RSS and Feed Readers

RSS feeds are a new concept to me. I have heard of them before but never tried using them. For this assignment I used Google Reader because I already had a Google account. I viewed the eHow videos and then got to work. I chose to follow these three:
1.) iLearn Technology >> Smart Boards
2.) School Library Monthly Blog
3.) KASL

Want a great story starter? Pictures of teachers pets make for great topics of discussion as well as prompts for writing.

This is my dog, Chance, and I have used this picture many times with great results! The students ask all kinds of questions about him as they try to write from his perspective. Or, they will ask all about what he likes to do when they write about an adventure he had. You get the idea.

It's a great way for the teachers to show off a part of themselves (their pet) and to bond with their students (oh, and the writing part is good too!)