Back to Chapter 8

Spent the afternoon in the lab being frustrated by technology but getting use to that. Screenr wouldn't embed, screenomatic wouldn't let me by Java and then voice thread cost way to much money. I guess I will play with audacity at home this week when I get myself a mic. The process looks easy but getting by the glitches is a ???? Anyway thanks for listening. Looking forward to recording students voices and adding to my wiki space for communication with parents.

Chapter 10

The end is in sight...but my mind is overloaded with new technological ideas and how they can be put to good use. I found this chapter interesting the way it when through the "big shift" and how one thing leads to another. I'm not sure I will ever see a classroom where everything is done on the web....reading, writing, editing, publishing, sharing, working with strangers from across the world on projects...but it certainly sounds interesting.
As an elementary teacher I don't see this working but it needs to start somewhere. Introducing upper elementary school age children to these new ideas and slowly teaching them how to use them may lead to high school students learning as described in Chapter 10.  Not all students can be self learners so teachers will still need to guide the learning process for most.
Educators will certainly be challenged to become, connectors, content creators, collaborators and finally coaches to bring Read/Write Web to the classroom. A lot of work for the future educators of the world. Good luck.

Chapter 9

Although we were told not to read chapter 9 I took a quick look at it. Having had a facebook page and not using it, I got rid of it awhile ago. Ning.com sounded interesting so I check it out and they wanted $24.99 monthly after a free thirty day membership. Of course you had to put a credit card up for the 30 days. So sorry to all the people out there I could have met that have the same interest but that is way tooooo much money. So I quickly moved on to chapter 10.
http://www.ning.com/?utm_source=goog_adw&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=brand_exact&utm_campaign=ning_brand&gclid=CK-poYW_mbMCFQOf4AodwGsARQ

If you are interested in Ning....check it out! Not for me!

Integrity - Video clip

Integrity - Video clip

Chapater 8

Another great chapter filled with great information to hopefully put to good use. Not really knowing what podcasting is about I found it very interesting and went searching for a variety of podcast. First stop was my itunes account. My there are a lot of people out there sharing their thoughts, interest and talents. In my search I found some good ghost stories! Often I walk into the classroom to talk to a teacher and find them reading a book to their class. What a way to have the class hear a story and be able to do something else...like grading papers, doing report cards or collabing with another teacher. I also checked out the WillowWeb radio station and listen to a second grader talk about what they were learning in art. I think this tool would be really easy to use in school and have students make recording of what they are learning to share with parents. Then again will our tech department let us download Audactiy to be used in the classroom....I'm sure Keri will have the answer to that!

I have set my personal smart goal this year around communicating with parents and will use my wiki space as the avenue to do so. So since reading this chapter I'm thinking why not let the students tell their parents what they are doing via podcasting. Looks like I'll be spending more time in front of the computer than I have in the past.  I also like the idea of taking video and uploading clips of students working on skills or playing games, see above clip.

Earth Quake hits!!

Alert....an earthquake has hit New England!! Here I sit at my computer table fixing up my Wiki(pretty shaky looking) and doesn't some really funny rumble go threw the floor. Both my husband and I jumped up and say what was that! Went and looked around....check the garage...nothing...oh well. Two minutes later my daughter enters saying everyone is tweeting about the earthquake. So of course I tweet to my one follower....wonder if they care. And now after feeling my first earthquake I need to blog about it. Never would I have tweeted or blogged about anything if not for this great class!!

Sorry no new chapter news!!

Chapter 7 Fun with Flickr

How to use flickr.......Enjoy

 

 

 

Well the title is a good one....I'm having fun with flickr. I have spent a little time practicing how to import pictures into Flickr and then add tags and comments. This could be a good place to store pictures to share with family and friend since I don't do facebook. Maybe I shouldn't admit to that since this is a technology class.  I have always been a picture buff, especially in my family. I'm the one to take them, share them and make video to show everyone when we get together. So will work with Flickr and see what it can do for me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/betsyaucoin/

You can check out my day at Southwick Wild Animal Farm and some family photos.

     Well it is a week later from setting up a twitter account and my only follower deserted me! Maybe because I didn't tweet all week. I've been following Michelle Obama and Lady Gaga...I wonder if they tweet for themselves...they have multiple a day!! Who has time and who cares what I'm doing!! Teaching ball skills at Taylor!
     But I did move on in the chapter and got to Diigo and Delicious! I passed over Diigo and spent some time in Delicious and have taken a liking to that. I put in physical education and came upon a few great sites that professionals are sharing ideas and lesson plans. I think I like this!!
     On to the next chapter.....Flickr....to see what that is all about!!

My Tweet Friends!!

Missing you

Hey Keri , we all worked hard this afternoon and helped each other! What teamwork but we still miss your expertise! Hang in there and see you soon! Rest up!


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Location:Home

Chapter 6 The Social Web

Ahhh...the ability to share, connect and create with many others of like minds and interests.  Sounds to good to be true. As I read chapter 6 and gained knowledge of the social web I found it very interesting but again not sure it is for me. I like a good old telephone call or better yet a hand written note from an old friend. I opened a twitter account and my daughter told me I was crazy...who was I going to tweet with...she won't tweet me the twit!! So I found Michele Obama, Diane Roberts, Lady Gaga and a few others to follow.

Then I read that getting people to follow you is more difficult...just what I need "difficult". Then low and behold I have a follower...nobody I know!!

I'm not sure I care what people are doing at any time of the day, my day is so busy with family and work that I don't have time to sit and tweett what is going on. I'm sure there are some great uses for this tool but I haven't found one yet for me. I'll have to search out some family members and see if they are tweeting. It might be a better summer tool for teachers when we aren't working and have more time on our hands. I haven't had the time to look at Twitter for Teachers but will give that whirl soon.

Again at the elementary level it isn't for students but maybe their parents but I certainly don't want to tweet with them.

Chapter: Get Well Soon

Feel Better Soon



Hey Keri.....we are soooo missing you at school and class.  I have soooo many questions, ideas, problems, screw-ups and who knows what else that needs your attention. But your health comes first and you need to get better!! So rest up and my questions, ideas, problems, screw-ups and who knows what else that needs your attention will still be here when you are well!! Now multiply that by all the staff at FPS and your class!





 

Chapter 5

While you are reading my blog please play the you tube video above...have felt this on more than one occaision when dealing with computers!! Enjoy!

RSS.......Really Simple Syndication....sounds wonderful! With so much information on the web it does get overwhelming to somebody my age. I know I keep referring to my age but you do need to realize I didn't grow up in a world of technology like this generation of children do.

The idea of being able to subscribe to a content area and let the information come to me sounds great. So of course with out much knowledge about this I tried, didn't get much except for a bunch of books to buy. Therefore I either didn't do it correctly or I chose the wrong site to feed me information. I won't give up and will try again. And when all else fails I will check in the Keri...Miss Trainer...or is it now Mrs. Trainer...for some help to get a good RSS going in an area of interest. Oh I look forward to class on Wednesday. But then again we haven't worked on our wiki yet either. Way to much to do in such little time.

I used Google Reader for my RSS since I had a google account. Then I put in elementary physical education. After that I got lots of sites to pick from but ended up with a text book distribution site offering lots of books for teaching and assessing children in PE. Not sure what I was looking for but I really don't need anymore texts books.

Chaper 4

Reading chapter 4, Wikis was like an "ah..ha" moment for me. Knowing that Wikipedia pops up every time you google something but I never knew it was the worlds knowledge and anyone can add to and or edit somebody elses knowledge. My son, who is autistic, always has wikipedia open and is reading information about his favorite things in life, The Beatles, Barney,The Brady Bunch....the fun people in life. He is constantly stating facts and dates that he is getting by reading the site. I wonder if he is also editing....I hope not! Then again maybe I should show him how.

I'm finding the web to be almost over whelming...to much to read, to much to research, and way to much time sitting in front of a monitor. If I was a true college student again then I think I might look at things differently. I remember how I would research a paper...in the library, books, articles, encyclopedia....the never ending paper trail. Now it would be the click of a keyboard and I would have so much research at my finder tips and be able to discuss and share my thoughts and ideas with others who are doing the same research.

The web is a wonderful tool and I think as teachers we need to share these tools with our students in a slow but steady process starting in upper elementary school. I think when we turn them on to these tools, with the guidance they certainly need, they will take the reins and run with it way faster than I would ever do at this time in my life.

Taylor Trotters......Run with the Web

Blogging and exercising

It is possible to blog and get some exercise at the same time. At the ahern track multi-tasking with Steven!


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Location:Mechanic St,Foxborough,United States

Chapter 3

You have created a monster blogger who is still not sure of what she is doing. Chapter 3, page 51, happened to mention an app for using Blogger, so of course I had to have! It has gone up in cost but doesn't every thing! I don't have much to say about chapter 3 other than you can assess my use of the chapter by checking out my blogs. I have started a third blog to use at school as I mentioned before.
It's a beautiful Sunday morning and I hope not to spend my day blogging!


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Chapter 2

Chapter 2 was much more interesting to read but no real fireworks reading the chapter...the fireworks came when you (Keri) took us through the process of making our blogs come alive and look like like something more than just our thoughts on a page. I can see where blogging could be both fun and an  interesting thing to do but it is time consuming. I have actually been following a blog for 3 years but didn't know it was called a blog until now. Learn something everyday!

So can blogging work in education? I think so but I'm not sure at what age it could start. I think if you put a tablet/ipad in every students hand it would become easier for both the student and teacher. If I was 20 years younger and a classroom teacher I might give it a whirl. Thinking back to when I was a student, reading and writing, I'm not sure I would have wanted my work published on the web for all to see and comment on. We do live in a changing world of technology and a paperless classroom may be the way to go especially for high school, upper level classes.I wonder if the student who struggles to read and write would benefit.

For myself at this point in my career I think blogging might be a way to get students to follow my Teacher Wed site (then again I better update that). To blog about what we are doing in wellness. I'm sure before the end of this class...and reading the chapter on wikis...I'll have a lot more ideas of how I can use blogging to involve students, parents and colleagues.

Chapter One

     Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, yawn! I'm tired and this chapter is not keeping me awake. Keri said it would be dry but not only is it dry but somewhat boring. But I do understand why the author has started with this. People like me need to know how, where, when and why all this got started. Hard to believe less than 20 years ago...in my younger days....none of this was happening! And now it is all happening and I still don't know about it. I guess I was the generation to be semi lost in the world of technology. The chapter made me feel old and said that teachers...especially my generations...aren't keeping up with the newest technology and kids are learning it faster...but from whom. I think this generation was born with a technology gene.

Hoping for fireworks in chapter 2!

     I'm actually very excited to learn about blogging mainly because technology intrigues me and I hate not knowing how to use it. Hence I've read chapter one and I'm ready to go on to chapter two and further educate myself into the world of blogs, wikis,podcast and whatever else Keri can teach me. I know there will be fireworks before we are done....in fact toady's class was filled with what I would call exciting firework gadgets. See fireworks below....awesome British fireworks.