One of the tools that I found the most interesting was photosharing. Photosharing, web 2.0 style, doesn't mean bringing in your copies of the pictures you have taken all year to distribute to your students' parents (Sorry, Erika!). What it does mean is that you can create groups in programs like Flickr and Picassa that allow just you and your students' parents to view, upload and download. So, for instance, in September, I create an account on Flickr and create a new group "Ms. Scirica's Fifth grade class." At Back to school night, I get all the parents email addresses and invite them to join my group. I've set the group up so that only those who I have specifically invited can view the photos so there is no privacy or security issues. Now, we have a group set up where any parent can add pictures from class events, field trips or school events to the group. If I then see one that I like and want to have a print made, I can then download it to my computer and print it using my favorite method (costco.com). The nice thing is that all the parents don't have to buy from the same site in order to get a copy of the picture like you would with some photo-storing sites such as Kodak. One of my pet peeves is when I get an album from someone else and I have to register and order from their picture site.
One site that I found really interesting from the web 2.0 threads is Animoto. Animoto allows you to create free 30 second video clips that look really awesome. You simply upload the photos of your choice, pick a song from one of theirs or upload your own, and then give the site about 5 minutes and it creates this really professional looking video clip. Clips longer than 30 seconds will cost you money, but I was able to get about 15 pictures into my 30 second clip aong with text at the end too. From a non teaching standpoint, I made one of these with pictures from our disneyland trip and my 5 year old son thought I was the coolest mom ever. For a classroom setting, I could see my self using this to create a quick clip of pictures and music to introduce a lesson. There are plenty of sites out there that have copyright free images that could be used and then pick a fun song to jazz it up and away you go. A quick, easy, and visually engaging introduction to a new topic. Another fun way to use it in the classroom would be to create a clip for each student on his or her birthday. You could use fun birthday picurtes as well as pictures of that student. This would take less than 10 minutes to create, and each child would get a special personalized little video that you could then share with their parents for further home viewing.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Inspiration NETS Map- Nets 2
This mind map was created using Inspiration. It showcases the NETS for teachers as defined by ISTE. For each of the 5 NETS, there are 2 corresponding artifacts from our class that meet the needs of the standard.
Journal 7 Mining for Gold
In Leading and Learning, there was an interesting article regarding RSS feeds. This is a topic that is fairly new to me. In the article, Bigenho discusses the basics of RSS feeds as well as how to utilize them in the classroom. By using RSS feeds, you are able to set up your homepage so that the information you follow comes right to you in a convenient form. No more checking 5 different sites every morning to follow your favorite blogs and newspapers. By setting up the RSS feeds, all the sites will present the information at your fingertips. I think Bloglines.com will be a very useful site to use. The notifier on Bloglines makes following a whole class full of blogs a cinch. The site Feed2js.org seems like it is really neat also. You can add an RSS feed to any site. So, if you have a class website and want to add a feed from a site in Washington DC for your US history lessons, you can use Feed2js to make the feed available on your page. It brings the information right to your students, which really is what this is all about.
1. What is the difference between an internet hosted aggregator and a client based aggregator?
An aggregator is the place in which you view all your RSS feeds. Many of the new computer systems like Windows Vista allow you to view the RSS feeds right on your computer desktop. An internet hosted aggregator would be something like igoogle where you can log into your own personalized website online that has all your RSS feeds. I would recommend using the internet hosted aggregator since this can be accessed from any computer with internet access. So, you are on vacation across country. No problem! Just log into your page and you have up to date access to all your feeds.
2. What are some pages that have RSS feeds?
Pretty much everything!!! Almost all pages and blogs have RSS feeds (look for that little orange box). All major sites have this feature which means following information you are interested in is REALLY easy now!
Bigenho, Chris (2009, March/April). Mining for gold. Leading and Learning, 36, Retrieved April 29, 2009, from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/200904/
1. What is the difference between an internet hosted aggregator and a client based aggregator?
An aggregator is the place in which you view all your RSS feeds. Many of the new computer systems like Windows Vista allow you to view the RSS feeds right on your computer desktop. An internet hosted aggregator would be something like igoogle where you can log into your own personalized website online that has all your RSS feeds. I would recommend using the internet hosted aggregator since this can be accessed from any computer with internet access. So, you are on vacation across country. No problem! Just log into your page and you have up to date access to all your feeds.
2. What are some pages that have RSS feeds?
Pretty much everything!!! Almost all pages and blogs have RSS feeds (look for that little orange box). All major sites have this feature which means following information you are interested in is REALLY easy now!
Bigenho, Chris (2009, March/April). Mining for gold. Leading and Learning, 36, Retrieved April 29, 2009, from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/200904/
Journal 6 Personal Learning Networks
A personal learning network or PLN refers to the sources from which you derive your information. This may be family, friends, the Wall Street Journal, the textbook in your backpack, or any other source through which your knowledge is expanded. In today's world, this probably includes sources from the internet. If you are an internet novice, this may just include emails from friends and family and probably a news source online such as cnn.com or maybe just your homepage from your server. As you become more advanced using the internet, your PLN sources from the internet will also grow. You may have a favorite blog or wiki you follow. You might use a social media site such as YouTube or Flickr. This year, I have learned how to use social bookmarking, which is a great PLN tool. One of the best sites that I have found is Delicious.com. On Delicious.com, you post sites that you find relevant and interesting. Other people are able to see your sites. On Delicious, you will use tags to describe the sites which makes it easy to pull up information regarding a certain subject. According to Warlick, you can also set it up so that when another member of the social bookmarking community tags a page with a tag you are following, Delicious will update you so that you can expand your list of pages for that tag.
Another PLN that has dramatically expanded in usage is Twitter. When using twitter, people get instant access to answers and information from other people on the twitter network. As one's knowledge of the internet expands, the PLN opportunities expand dramatically. So, the best thing you can do is get out there and start surfing the net!
1. In keeping with the theme from my recent interview for the multiple subjects program here at Cal State, how do PLNs incorporate into the mission statement of the college of education? =)
One of the big themes of the mission for the College of Education here at CSUSM is lifelong learning for educators. Personal learning networks allow teachers to do this. By using the internet and some of the emerging technology available on the internet, educators can also utilize innovative research which is another idea from the mission statement.
2. How will my PLN help me in the classroom?
PLNs have already been useful to me even prior to getting my own classroom. For my recent presentation, I used Delicious to find relevant sites on the topic of my presentation. I then added them into my delicious account and posted the information for the other students in my class to find when they need the information that I presented. In a couple years, when I need to refresh my memory, then information will still be there at the tip of my fingertips, not in some notebook that I will have to dig through my closet to find.
Warlick, David (2009, March/April). Grow your personal learning network. Leading and Learning, 36, Retrieved April 29, 2009, from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/200904/
Another PLN that has dramatically expanded in usage is Twitter. When using twitter, people get instant access to answers and information from other people on the twitter network. As one's knowledge of the internet expands, the PLN opportunities expand dramatically. So, the best thing you can do is get out there and start surfing the net!
1. In keeping with the theme from my recent interview for the multiple subjects program here at Cal State, how do PLNs incorporate into the mission statement of the college of education? =)
One of the big themes of the mission for the College of Education here at CSUSM is lifelong learning for educators. Personal learning networks allow teachers to do this. By using the internet and some of the emerging technology available on the internet, educators can also utilize innovative research which is another idea from the mission statement.
2. How will my PLN help me in the classroom?
PLNs have already been useful to me even prior to getting my own classroom. For my recent presentation, I used Delicious to find relevant sites on the topic of my presentation. I then added them into my delicious account and posted the information for the other students in my class to find when they need the information that I presented. In a couple years, when I need to refresh my memory, then information will still be there at the tip of my fingertips, not in some notebook that I will have to dig through my closet to find.
Warlick, David (2009, March/April). Grow your personal learning network. Leading and Learning, 36, Retrieved April 29, 2009, from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/200904/
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Powerpoint on NETS PK-2 Profiles- NETS 2
Check out my presentation on NETS student profiles for grades PK-2. This powerpoint includes my ideas on how students in grades Pre-K to 2 can meet the student NETS Standards from ISTE.
NETS PK-2 Profiles Presentation
View more presentations from lauren.hood2.
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