Blogging Convert

I am really enjoying reading all of the blogs! For someone who started out thinking that blogs were for people who had too much time on their hands, I think  I am a convert! I have learned so much as others share ideas, frustrations, great discoveries, etc.  Some of the blogs are hilarious and some are thoughtful and thought-provoking.  I hope I am not becoming "addicted" to yet another digital thing!  My husband calls me a wanna be geek.  He is so right... I am a wanna be, but  most days I have no clue! It is comforting to commiserate with others experiencing some of the frustrations that go along with technology.  The most important aspect of blogging, to me, is the ability to collaborate with other teachers routinely.  Collaboration takes the stress out of teaching for me.  If someone else has a great idea, why rewrite the book?  The problem is, teachers need a platform to share their great ideas... enter blogging... I'm sold!

MyeBook

Well, I started the final project and decided to try a portfolio.  I am  thinking about creating one as an exit option for next spring. I started a portfolio in Google sites, but for this project I am using MyeBook.  I spent one marathon day with a laptop on my porch and almost have the project done.  The motivation was... I will be going to Florida in a few days, and I don't want to think about coming home to a "project." MyeBook is really fun...give it a try. My suggestion is to listen to the tutorials first, they are really helpful.  I like to explore and sometimes do not take the time to do that! That usually results in spending more time than I need to figure out the program.  MyeBook is user friendly and creates a very nice product.  Students could easily use it to write stories, autobiographies, etc. As teachers I feel it is very important to continue to learn and grow. There are many great programs out there that motivate and create excitement for learning.  We need to be aware of what is out there. It is important to model lifelong learning. That is our goal for all of our students, right?  If you are interested in checking out MyeBook, you need to go to the site and create an account. I can add your email to my account and you would be able to open my book if you are interested. The following link will take you to MyeBook.  One thing is certain, I sure learned a lot these past few weeks....

http://www.myebook.com/

Prezi is.....

 Prezi is...... well let's just say that it took time for it to grow on me!  Our group decided to use it for the digital storytelling project.  I tried Prezi before, but honestly gave up on it after a few unsuccessful attempts.  When our group decided to use it, I agreed, but knew that it was going to be challenging for me.  Well, the project is underway and I think that I kind of like it.  It is certainly random, not neat and tidy as PowerPoint.
( I also like PowerPoint, sorry Dr. McCullough!)  However, Prezi presentations are exciting and less apt to result in snoozing viewers.  It took time to learn how to manipulate it.  The tutorials were easy to follow, but I was not accustomed to online collaboration . The people that I am working with are wonderful, but  Prezi online collaboration leaves a lot to be desired.  Even though others may be editing with you, there is no way to communicate with them in real time... I could be wrong.  Maybe there is... I am not a Prezi expert!
 Learning a new program can be frustrating, however, it is a good feeling to have gained knowledge that I am sure  I will use in the future in the context of both home and school. As our world gets more technological, we need to keep up and give our students the opportunities to grow and learn in many different ways.
 **The following website has great ideas on how to use Prezi in the classroom.
                 http://tech-teach-kz.wikispaces.com/Prezi

Retain and Reuse!

The virtual field trip definitely expanded my computer literacy! I know that there is so much more to learn and hopefully I will be able to use all of the cool features that are at our disposal at Google in my classroom this upcoming school year. The first feature that I used for the field trip was Google maps.  I fumbled my way around there and still do not feel I have mastered it.  I did watch a tutorial for it and it seemed easy.. and it is easy.. I just can't "control" it.  It constantly shifts,etc.  I need to practice a little more.  I also tried to add a photo or a video, I know the process and after I thought that I did everything correctly, the picture would not appear in the box where I had the marker on the map.  There was a small icon that showed a broken file. I must not have done everything correctly.  Suggestions are welcome, because I am a bit frustrated at this point!  I LOVED  making the form! That was so much fun and know that I will use that feature in my classroom this year!  One little glitch, I chose a different background for the form, but when I open it on my Presentation, it still has the white background.  I need to check it out again.. but if you have any ideas, please send them my way! Instead of using a regular Google doc, I used the presentation doc.  This is similar to Microsoft PowerPoint. The feature was very user-friendly, and I really liked using it.  It is very limited and obviously does not have all of the full blown effects of PowerPoint, but its advantage is.... it is free!!!  And, it gets the job done! I have been sharing my work with Jen as I finish each part of the virtual field trip. That is another awesome feature... the document sharing! Whew, so much for rambling on about Google... my biggest concern is that I need to RETAIN the info to reuse it.  Google takes care of that too... it does have helpful tutorials when needed. How did we function before Google? : )

This is the tutorial that I used to help me muddle through Google Maps...
Click here for a.....
Good tutorial for Google maps

Interesting....

You tube has a lot of info on using Google Docs, etc... stumbled on this video. It has teachers and principals sharing how they use Google Docs in their classrooms. It is interesting!





Teacher and Principals Talk About Google Docs

 Hi again...
In addition to blogging, I am so excited to learn more about Google itself.  I believe it is secretly taking over the world.  I am amazed at Google docs, sharing Google docs, the Scholar help site, etc. etc.  All this time I thought that Google was well, just another search engine.  Not so! Its resources (maps, videos, music, information, office tools, etc.) are free! All you need is a Google account, which is also free! The price is certainly right, especially in today's economy. I think that every school district should have one inservice day that focuses on Google and how it can save time and be helpful to the classroom teacher.  Many teachers want to learn more about technology and implement it in their classrooms, however,  teachers need guidance and training for this. Administrators need to step in and provide opportunities that will help teachers to grow in using technology effectively in their classrooms.  The work of Richard Byrne (see my post for July 14, 2011)  and others like him, as well as  the innovations of all the engineers at Google will  go to waste  if  educators do not know how to access and utilize the information.

Edublog Award? Hmmm....

Wow! Impressive, Richard Byrne...winner of the Best Individual Edublog for 2010! I never knew these awards existed!  Am I really that far out in a cloud in cyberspace that I don't know about these awards like I know about  the Grammy, Emmy and Academy Awards?  Seriously, someday I hope that I am as adept as Richard Byrne is at blogging! More importantly, he is also very skilled in locating great sites for educators on the Web.  Richard's blog is an incredible resource for teachers.   It has innovative sites for classroom use that can be accessed by the click of your mouse!  His blog is very user-friendly and is packed with  a wealth of  information and ideas.  Check it out! http://www.freetech4teachers.com/  I am hoping that this class will help me to become more efficient in locating information on the web.  Web browsing can be so overwhelming and I frankly do not have that much time to invest in searching. I do have a life... Using this blogging tool will be helpful, I am sure.  So, I am counting on all of you fellow colleagues, remember what you learned in Kindergarten, share, share, share! I am looking forward to reading your blogs!

A Digital World

 Wow!  I am on information overload. Technology is ever-evolving and dynamic.  The question is, am I? The answer is, I have no choice.  I am an educator. I MUST be. It seems like technology took giant steps within the past 10 years and it is still exploding! When things change so quickly, people are apt to be apprehensive about initiating change.  This is especially true in the classrooms. Many U.S schools ban gadgets and programs that students use on a regular basis (youtube, ipods, digital tablets, etc.) The underlying assumption is they are not for learning, they are to be used outside of the classroom.  The article in November Learning "Banning Student Containers" was interesting.http://novemberlearning.com/resources/archive-of-articles/banning-student-containers/  ( I guess there is a new meaning in the dictionary for containers? In this article it is a synonym for the various electronic gadgets and programs used for communication,social networks, etc. Am I that behind?)  The  truth is, children are tuned into the digital world and it highly motivates them whether we like it or not.

Should we be rethinking how we teach and tap into this natural motivation? This is a subject that will never go away... educators must address it.  It is too big to be ignored. Korea isn't ignoring it.  I just read an article that reported Korea will ban all school paper textbooks by the year 2014 and replace them with electronic tablets. Quote:“This means that they will no longer spend money in paper, printing and distribution. They will use multimedia technologies that make learning more fun, and more effective.” Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/09/2307130/south-koreas-school-tablets-a.html  Oh no... take note America...Whew! This is entirely too much to think about. Let's table this issue until at least tomorrow. Well, I can now say that I am an official blogger. This is a small step towards hopefully becoming half as digital savvy as most of my students!

Techno-tension... my first attempt at Blogging!

Well, world... I am blogging... first step... it is exciting! Can't wait to learn more.  Suggestions and tips are welcome!