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.