Playing around

Still playing around with Image Chef. Created this with the banners link. Must admit.... this is FUN.

Thing #11 Week #5

I tried the 2.0 award winning list. There are sooo many- I explored the section on organization- and loved it. I played around with Backpack - it was surprisingly easy (and free). It reminded me a lot of google docs, but there are more features to organize. It was sort of a combination of googledocs and Office One Note. For someone like me who loves to organize thier notes/ files / folders it it amazing. I'm definately going to share that at work.
Travel IQ was so much fun. I'm a little embarassed to say that I only went to level 2. I guess I need to brush up on my geography skills.

Which brings me to the learning connection. Backpack would be a great site for Middle and High school students so that they can keep their files online and work from where ever they are. This in combination with googlegears would be an absolute WOW! Travel IQ would be so easy to encorporate into any Middle and High school classroom. It directly relates to geography, Social Studies - but hey, if student have a few extra minutes in an English class why not? They could brush up on geography and map skills while playing. I'm all for killing 2 birds with 1 stone.

I also joined a Ning group called Kiddie Quotes. It's all about the silly things that kids say. If you have small children in your life, you'll enjoy it. I've placed the link on the side bar, but here it is too. http://kiddiequotes.ning.com/

Thing #10 Week #5

Just started to play around with the online image generators. I explored the different sites and they were sooo awesome. This seems like a great way for people to express themselves, and I must say that it was very easy. I posted 2 to my blog. The one on the right, I created. It's not to detailed, but not bad for about 5 minutes. The other one I liked as an idea for an e-reward. Instead of giving a sticker or stamp, you could send something like this. I think that students would like to recieve something like this from their teachers -it kinda helps to bridge any generational gaps. I also thought that students could create different visuals to represent a character in a book. There are probably millions of ways to use this in the classroom (as well as out). I can see how many of the students today are becoming more and more creative. This must be what Crayola Crayons was to past generations .... just the begining. I love it!

Great e-reward for students

Thing #9 Week #4

I'm finding that subscribing to an RSS feed or blogline is much like having a subcription to a magazine or newspaper of your choice. And, just like magazines... there are some that are worth reading (you can actually learn something) some that are just for fun/ entertainment (like Enquirer) and some that just pass the time, but these RSS feeds seem to have the element of reality - sort of how the new hit TV shows are turning reality TV.
In experimenting with these sites, I have found a few of each kind. The easiest search site for me these was blogline and google reader. There are many different RSS feeds out there - I'm thinking that a lot of people have tons of time on there hands. For me, it's nearly impossible to find time for looking through many of these sites - even though there are plenty of interesting ones.

Thing #8 Week #4

Working with the RSS feeds proved to be a bit more difficult than I imagined. Mainly because I was REALLY trying to get around creating another account through blogline. It's not that I don't or can't create an account. It's just that I'm soo tired of having to create accounts/ passwords. Remembering them! That's the true test.

Initially, I only wanted to work with my google account and use the google reader option. I was pretty successful but as I kept digging - I found that many of sites/feeds work with blogline instead. After I created a blogline account, things were pretty smooth. I played around with a couple feeds on news, quotes and fun things like pictures. I have added a couple of the sites that I liked to my blog so that you might enjoy too.

I also read up on Googlegears and I was really impressed. I can see that many of the teachers in our district would be interested in this. I can see that teachers / students who don't have access to internet at home could use it. I haven't played around with it myself, but the article sold me. I'm hoping to look into it when I get back to work.

Thing #7 Week 3

So here goes my blog spot about something technology related. I found this great article online about the 16 habits of mind. Actualy, a friend of mind found it and forwarded it to me and I loved it. It really went hand in hand with the 7 and 1/2 habits of life long learners. In fact, she sent me the link the same day that I viewed the video. Here is the link http://www.habits-of-mind.net/whatare.htm On the site there is a PDF that you can print out for reference. Enjoy!

Thing #6 Week 3

Creating this Trading card was really easy. This could easily be something that teachers could encorporate into learning character traits of a character of a story. Students could easily use the space provided to give details or even quote a part of the book that would prove the trait that the are working with. Of course, it's also just a cool thing to play with. I will definately be sharing this trading card web site with others in our district.

Thing #5 Week 3 Picture

This is the picture that my son took. It sends me a bit of peace each time I look at it. Pictures have a way of bringing out emotions that way.

Thing #5 Week 3

I played around with Flickr today. I had to use another network other than my school district's one. I really enjoyed the pictures and collections. The one I really got into today was a mother's site primarily dedicated to pictures of her kids. The pictures were AWESOME because on top of being a photographer she's also a make up artist. To say the least... each one was a portrait. I can see how some teachers could easily get into this too - adding class pictures etc.... I'm not too sure about posting a picture that belongs to someone else so I'm going to post a picture that my son took. It's called "A Brother's Love". Enjoy!

Thing #4 Week #2

That should have been the title to my last post. Like I stated before, I'm just starting to get my feet wet on this whole blogging thing. Now that I mention it. The first post should have been called Thing #1,2,3 Week 1 &2. So just to clarify, I have completed "Thing #4" and am now ready for "Thing 5". Sounds like something from a Dr. Suess book. Thing 5 is about Flickr and it seems that the site is blocked through my school district. I wonder why a site that is seemigly educational (or else we wouldn't be going through it) would be blocked, and how many other teachers/ librarians experience the same issue w/in their districts? That would seem like a great obstacle for teachers who are always pressed for time.

Thing #4

I just registered my blog for the 2nd time. It's a little hard to try to ensure that something is getting to where it belongs when your working online. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks. I think that there will be a lot to learn. Some of the things mentioned, I have explored before, but others are "untreaded waters" So far... I'm looking at this blog as a journal.

Thing # 1,2.3 Week #1-2

Just started to get my feet wet today! I spent a lot of time playing around with the features. So far all is well. I enjoyed the video on life long learners. It's all about things we don't really think about - we just do. I guess if you like to learn these "habbits" are not something you spend too much time on. The only thing that raised an eyebrow had to be the "contract". That seemed a litte wierd - I mean, if you don't follow through, you're the only one that will know. (I guess that's the point - you're only dissappointing yourself. Either way - enjoyed the video.