I have already used Google Docs to post my syllabus online. Our district has adopted that all our syllabi have to be accessilbe to parents through Parent Connect (Zangle). I couldn't figure out how to type it in, so I (with help from kdog techy) provided a link for parents to see the document. It has tremendous potential for things like that. Some of the things that came to mind while watching the video...this could create a paperless environment. As teachers we create so much paperwaste...this would be an avenue to stop it...you can provide feedback right online. It also would help with accountability. Students wouldn't lose their work - it would always be accessible. It would also be beneficial to know when students would have turned something in.
This does create a little bit of a barrier with accounts and such. I think that's why our school utilizes moodle. It has similar aspects to many of the things we are learning through this - but on a smaller more refined scale. Students already have accounts through so many things....they could easily have another.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thing 15
To be totally truthful this is the first time that I have checked my bloglines since I had set it up....and yes, now I am addicted. Is this really possible? All of this information given to me - the information that I can pick...oooh boy. This is dangerous... I understand the time saving aspect of it all - it's pretty obvious. It's easy to find on websites - what websites wouldn't want you to enroll - that's a nobrainer too. Oh, this is really really great!!!
Thing 14
My delicious username is delicious.com/keliosborne
I could have students go to this for research papers when we do them in my Metals class. That way I could make sure they aren't going to sites that are selling jewelry - they are going to sites that actually have some information on them. I could also have students use this to go to museum sites - a virtual field trip. A class assignment where they have to tour a museum and look for information would be really cool - I could make sure of their sources that way.
This is a time saver. I used to have to remember which search engine I used and what exact terminology I used to find the pages I used since my computer at work clears everything off at the end of the day - which leaves me with a clean slate everyday (good and bad). This is very beneficial. I'm going there now to see if I can create folders where I can organize the information even more...like personal interests, school, etc.
I could have students go to this for research papers when we do them in my Metals class. That way I could make sure they aren't going to sites that are selling jewelry - they are going to sites that actually have some information on them. I could also have students use this to go to museum sites - a virtual field trip. A class assignment where they have to tour a museum and look for information would be really cool - I could make sure of their sources that way.
This is a time saver. I used to have to remember which search engine I used and what exact terminology I used to find the pages I used since my computer at work clears everything off at the end of the day - which leaves me with a clean slate everyday (good and bad). This is very beneficial. I'm going there now to see if I can create folders where I can organize the information even more...like personal interests, school, etc.
Thing 13
Just like with anything there is a new language to learn. I think when the web came out - we all had to learn what .org, .com, .ca meant - this is just another language to learn. If one uses it enough - it will become second nature. The one draw back that I am apprehensive about is that we all think a little different - so what I might label conspiracy theory - someone else may tag that as politics... I'm sure once I start into it though I will be able to differentiate between stuff I want and stuff I don't want.
I think I understand but is this going to give me a one stop shopping kind of thing? Is there one place that I can have my blog, my flickr account, my google account, my bloglines account and this all tied into one? I just don't want to have a thousand windows open when I am doing all this "social networking". Does that make sense? IF this does do that - then it's wonderful! That's what we all need - a little organization. If it doesn't do it and I have to go to a million sites - then it will become something I won't use that much.
To know that everything is public lends it self to having an err of caution. I think when we label it needs to be very cut and dry...basically leave my opinion out. List what it says, what it does - and that's it. Getting too personal lends it self - I feel - to security issues maybe. It's like on facebook - even though I don't "friend" students who are currently going to the park - I still have a very clean account - I don't want something "out there" (not that I even do anything bad...but you know what I mean).
I think I understand but is this going to give me a one stop shopping kind of thing? Is there one place that I can have my blog, my flickr account, my google account, my bloglines account and this all tied into one? I just don't want to have a thousand windows open when I am doing all this "social networking". Does that make sense? IF this does do that - then it's wonderful! That's what we all need - a little organization. If it doesn't do it and I have to go to a million sites - then it will become something I won't use that much.
To know that everything is public lends it self to having an err of caution. I think when we label it needs to be very cut and dry...basically leave my opinion out. List what it says, what it does - and that's it. Getting too personal lends it self - I feel - to security issues maybe. It's like on facebook - even though I don't "friend" students who are currently going to the park - I still have a very clean account - I don't want something "out there" (not that I even do anything bad...but you know what I mean).
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thing 12.2
I don't care for how large my widget is; can I resize it somehow? I didn't realize how many things "out there" are up for the taking. Really cool things...All of this reminds me of Daniel Pink's book - about how the right brain thinkers are going to rule the world. We are in a society where all students learn the same information in high school and then in college. We are great at creating "academic robots", if you will. It will only be the people who can think on their own, creativly who will succeed in this ever increasing visual world. (I have now stepped off my soap box.)
I am on facebook and snapfish. I only joined facebook last year as a way to talk with coworkers outside of school and ended up finding so many people from my past (a good thing) that I lost contact with! It is great. It's a dangerous thing though - you become addicted to checking it. No, I don't feel though that relationships are as meaningful. I am on facebook with a few coworkers and we can chat online, but the second we are in person - it seems a little awkward. I don't think kids are taught communication skills, so these social networks are perfect for them - they don't really have to communicate deep thought - it's very surface. It's not like a letter you had to write, get an envelope and a stamp and place it in the mailbox - it's quick, thoughtless and superficial (usually).
I am on facebook and snapfish. I only joined facebook last year as a way to talk with coworkers outside of school and ended up finding so many people from my past (a good thing) that I lost contact with! It is great. It's a dangerous thing though - you become addicted to checking it. No, I don't feel though that relationships are as meaningful. I am on facebook with a few coworkers and we can chat online, but the second we are in person - it seems a little awkward. I don't think kids are taught communication skills, so these social networks are perfect for them - they don't really have to communicate deep thought - it's very surface. It's not like a letter you had to write, get an envelope and a stamp and place it in the mailbox - it's quick, thoughtless and superficial (usually).
Thing 12
Thing 11
Of course I like to leave my opinions where I go...I think many teachers feel comfortable doing that - isn't that what we do? We give kids our feedback - so this is a logical next step.
I was excited when I got my first comment - it's the acceptance thing..."ooohh someone likes me!!" We all have that - no matter how much one might think the opposite.
Commenting on someone's online thought is a great way to get a little mroe connected. The internet can be a very impersonal venue and commenting and having a conversation is a wonderful way to "reach out and touch someone".
Having a student write online would be great, especially for those kids who don't speak up in class. They would have their opportunity to be heard. They can write, revise and really plan on what they want to say. This is a great avenue for the multiple learners we have!
I was excited when I got my first comment - it's the acceptance thing..."ooohh someone likes me!!" We all have that - no matter how much one might think the opposite.
Commenting on someone's online thought is a great way to get a little mroe connected. The internet can be a very impersonal venue and commenting and having a conversation is a wonderful way to "reach out and touch someone".
Having a student write online would be great, especially for those kids who don't speak up in class. They would have their opportunity to be heard. They can write, revise and really plan on what they want to say. This is a great avenue for the multiple learners we have!
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