Saturday, October 4, 2008
Finale Blog Entry Hallelujah!!!!!
As I sit exhaling the deep, deep breath I drew-in on the onset of this class
I have to admit - I am feeling like a Super Star! Now, looking back at all the surfaces I have scratched regarding incorporating Web 2.0 tools into my curriculum I am amazed, truly!
Though my brain is complete mush and I'm not exactly certain how to get back to the multitude of doors knocked on and entered though, I do know with certainty that when the confetti finally settles I will most definitely revisit a few of those doors and enter for a longer visit a deeper exploration of the Web 2.0 tools which resonated with me.
This class introduced me to the vast Universe of the World-Wide-Web. Although it is and ever-changing, ever-morphing, moment-to-moment platform, I absolutely feel clued in to the epic diversity and assortment of projects that are available to educators.
I know that when I am teaching next year I will without a doubt be using many of the Web 2.0 tools that I was introduced to in this class. For starters I love the Google presentation postcard project. I love that two people can work simultaneously on one document from two different computers.
I will also be building a new blog for my family to keep in touch with what I am doing when I make the move to my new teaching position in India next July.
I plan to incorporate Wikis into my curriculum - though I still am not sure how to do that but I plan to make that my first goal when I start to investigate Web 2.0 tools on my own.
I also loved the story books we created in shutterfly and I will use that too most definitely. I think that project will allow students with different skill sets to soar.
I was introduced to so much in this class. I think that introduction, though fast paced and quick as it was, was really the highlight for me. This class gave me a taste of what is out there and what is available and that is really what I will walk away with.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Copyright
That had to be the worst read yet in terms of jargon. Why can't people write stuff that is plain, simple, concise, and written in short sentences in stead of wordy paragraphs that loose most of us mid way through? And what ever happened to bullet points???
For the most part I had some idea about copyright legalities but those really came to me from the Librarian and Technology teacher or when I produced my own photography. It was really hard for me to read, and read, and read all those sites listed without examples or a Q/A format. I'm learning that for me to understand a lot of this computer stuff I need to be in a room of people collaborating instead of by myself.
So basically what I got out of the copyright reading was this.
Keeping It Legal states: Teachers CAN make copies of an article from a magazine, newspaper or a page from a book for use in class to support teaching a concept or idea, but they CANNOT make copies of the whole book or workbook for the entire class to use. They must buy them. I agree with that!
The most confusing of all the sites was Copyright Bay - maybe it was my computer but I only seemed to bring up small pieces of information when I clicked around. I like the visual creativity to the site but I found I did not get out of it what I had hoped. The one morsel I did extract was that copyright (creative ownership) was something that people have been working to posses by law since as far back as Medieval Europe. Authors, poets, and philosophers believe that they had sole ownership (copyright) to their intellectual thoughts, prose, and written text. Indeed these were the Great Thinkers of the time.
Still trying to figure out my students can use images from the web in projects, let me have another look. Yep, they can as long as it is temporary and not published on the web or a network. That was taken from Keeping It Legal.
Wowza, I did get something out of what I read, course I had to keep going back and rereading. Still confussed about a large portion of the copyright laws but I do know where to access the informaion once I find a Lawyer to go over it with me in simple terms maybe even with pictures and examaples.
For the most part I had some idea about copyright legalities but those really came to me from the Librarian and Technology teacher or when I produced my own photography. It was really hard for me to read, and read, and read all those sites listed without examples or a Q/A format. I'm learning that for me to understand a lot of this computer stuff I need to be in a room of people collaborating instead of by myself.
So basically what I got out of the copyright reading was this.
Keeping It Legal states: Teachers CAN make copies of an article from a magazine, newspaper or a page from a book for use in class to support teaching a concept or idea, but they CANNOT make copies of the whole book or workbook for the entire class to use. They must buy them. I agree with that!
The most confusing of all the sites was Copyright Bay - maybe it was my computer but I only seemed to bring up small pieces of information when I clicked around. I like the visual creativity to the site but I found I did not get out of it what I had hoped. The one morsel I did extract was that copyright (creative ownership) was something that people have been working to posses by law since as far back as Medieval Europe. Authors, poets, and philosophers believe that they had sole ownership (copyright) to their intellectual thoughts, prose, and written text. Indeed these were the Great Thinkers of the time.
Still trying to figure out my students can use images from the web in projects, let me have another look. Yep, they can as long as it is temporary and not published on the web or a network. That was taken from Keeping It Legal.
Wowza, I did get something out of what I read, course I had to keep going back and rereading. Still confussed about a large portion of the copyright laws but I do know where to access the informaion once I find a Lawyer to go over it with me in simple terms maybe even with pictures and examaples.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Single Best Vido out there!!
This is the BEST Video: Where the Hell is Matt I've seen in a long time.
It makes me feel like a human being again and that really we are all connected in simple joys of just being together, sharing a smile and maybe even a dance.
I hope it inspires you!
Enjoy!
It makes me feel like a human being again and that really we are all connected in simple joys of just being together, sharing a smile and maybe even a dance.
I hope it inspires you!
Enjoy!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Podcasting in Education
Before completing this homework assignment I accidentally did the next one (choose 5 podcasts to share) therefore I have already spent time scouring iTunes for podcasts before reflecting on this quesitons and you know what, I'm glad I did.
I had yet to be really exposed to the podcast. Sure been hearing about them but I had never had the desire to really go and search of one. I had no idea they could be so educational. They are wonderful listening activities and fun ways to take in information in a completly new format. That's the educational bennefit.
What I don't understand is how students can generate projects using them. In reading podcasting in education several activities for students were listed but I think I really need to see them/listen to them for complete comprehension before sharing my opinion. Right now I can't seem to formulate what kind of project a 4th-5th-6th grader could produce using that format.
FAQ:For Podcast Fans was a good "short" read explaining what this new medium is - I took in about 1/3 of it. My Geek status is already saturated.
The section "What is RSS feed" was not only overwhelming form by its length but the summary left me feeling like I had just woken up from being asleep for the 150 years only to learn that the English language had completely changed. I read it but I understood nothing! Then I got to thinking, if I come up with a podcast assignment for my students to produce I simply team up with the IT teacher at my school and they take on teaching the kids how to build it. They are the educators that are teaching thier passion IT and that is why they chose that subject to teach. I on the other hand am not an IT teacher for this reason, "It is NOT my passion!" I don't care about making my own podcast - I'm happy I have been introduced to them becasue I already have ideas bubbeling about how I can utilze them in my curriculum but I don't have any interst in making one. It's like this. I know how to drive, but in order drive I don't need to know how to build the car. There are special people with specials talents and intersts in doing just that.
Thank God!!!!
I had yet to be really exposed to the podcast. Sure been hearing about them but I had never had the desire to really go and search of one. I had no idea they could be so educational. They are wonderful listening activities and fun ways to take in information in a completly new format. That's the educational bennefit.
What I don't understand is how students can generate projects using them. In reading podcasting in education several activities for students were listed but I think I really need to see them/listen to them for complete comprehension before sharing my opinion. Right now I can't seem to formulate what kind of project a 4th-5th-6th grader could produce using that format.
FAQ:For Podcast Fans was a good "short" read explaining what this new medium is - I took in about 1/3 of it. My Geek status is already saturated.
The section "What is RSS feed" was not only overwhelming form by its length but the summary left me feeling like I had just woken up from being asleep for the 150 years only to learn that the English language had completely changed. I read it but I understood nothing! Then I got to thinking, if I come up with a podcast assignment for my students to produce I simply team up with the IT teacher at my school and they take on teaching the kids how to build it. They are the educators that are teaching thier passion IT and that is why they chose that subject to teach. I on the other hand am not an IT teacher for this reason, "It is NOT my passion!" I don't care about making my own podcast - I'm happy I have been introduced to them becasue I already have ideas bubbeling about how I can utilze them in my curriculum but I don't have any interst in making one. It's like this. I know how to drive, but in order drive I don't need to know how to build the car. There are special people with specials talents and intersts in doing just that.
Thank God!!!!
Podcast Posting
Below you will find 5 podcasts. I recommend them all for different reasons - which are listed. Wow... I never really had time to look into podcasts - they're becomming my new favorite thing.
Podcast Posting
5. The last one couldn't be more fitting!
United Nations radio is a great podcast if you are a social studies teacher. It allows you to take your kids right into the UN talks. I just listened to a podcast, short, briefing the food shortage. This would be a great into into a discussion on that subject. They have an extensive list going of really important talks and topics. I know I'll be visiting this podcast site to educate myself.
: )
United Nations radio is a great podcast if you are a social studies teacher. It allows you to take your kids right into the UN talks. I just listened to a podcast, short, briefing the food shortage. This would be a great into into a discussion on that subject. They have an extensive list going of really important talks and topics. I know I'll be visiting this podcast site to educate myself.
: )
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)