FLICKR: http://www.flickr.com/photos/senglert11/
The above link is my Flickr account with my photos. I uploaded different photos that I would not really use in an educational setting. However, all of my school and classroom pictures are on my PC, which is not set up right now.
I enjoyed using Flickr. I have never used Flickr before, but I have used Webshots. Flickr is very user friendly. The other aspect I like about Flickr is that it is easy to set up and share photos. Therefore, I can see myself using this in a classroom. One particular use is that I know my students have difficulty getting their own photos, plus there is the copyright issue that the students may not completely understand. Therefore, by setting up an account, it will be easier for my students to access pictures to utilize for different projects in the classroom. I look forward to playing around with different settings as well as utilizing Flickr in the future.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
.:. Delicious -- Social Bookmarking
DELICIOUS: http://delicious.com/SEnglert11
While using Delicious for social bookmarking, I thought of all the different opportunities of when I could use it. For the link I have provided, I included different links that I would find useful for my fellow English teachers and even useful for my students. The majority of the sites revolve around vocabulary. Although I enjoy the majority of my sites, I new one I found through delicious was www.urbandictionary.com. In fact, it is a useful site regarding any kind of slang. I enjoyed being able to tag the different sites. While completing this assignment, I realized how easy it would be to set this up my students could use. Besides using tags like I did, such as vocabulary and grammar, I can also use the tags to make them for specific users, such as for the different classes I teach throughout the day. Along with using Delicious in my classroom, I could utilize for other instances where I may need to have links together for others. Tonight, before I sat down to compose my blog entries, I thought how useful Delicious would be in regards to my wedding. All in all, I enjoyed social bookmarking, and I can see myself utilizing social bookmarking in the near future.
While using Delicious for social bookmarking, I thought of all the different opportunities of when I could use it. For the link I have provided, I included different links that I would find useful for my fellow English teachers and even useful for my students. The majority of the sites revolve around vocabulary. Although I enjoy the majority of my sites, I new one I found through delicious was www.urbandictionary.com. In fact, it is a useful site regarding any kind of slang. I enjoyed being able to tag the different sites. While completing this assignment, I realized how easy it would be to set this up my students could use. Besides using tags like I did, such as vocabulary and grammar, I can also use the tags to make them for specific users, such as for the different classes I teach throughout the day. Along with using Delicious in my classroom, I could utilize for other instances where I may need to have links together for others. Tonight, before I sat down to compose my blog entries, I thought how useful Delicious would be in regards to my wedding. All in all, I enjoyed social bookmarking, and I can see myself utilizing social bookmarking in the near future.
Bring in the Extra-curriculars!
While searching through different technology integration articles, I stumbled upon one interesting article (accompanied by a video): Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum (http://www.edutopia.org/tech-integration). What grabbed my attention about this article is that did not specifically address the curriculum. Instead, it also reached out to discuss sports. This article focuses on Harrison Central High School in Mississippi. Throughout the article and the two accompanying videos, I see pro gates, clickers and digital cameras, which I anticipated. However, a cheerleading squad took over the camera time to give more information about technology.
At Harrison Central H.S., they utilize technology to assist with different stats regarding the cheerleading squad and their routine. However, the use of these stats do not stop at practice. Instead, they move back into the classroom as stats are given to an algebra class. From there, the algebra students graph different pieces of information. Therefore, the technology helps the cheerleading squad, but it also links it up with the curriculum. Another specific way that they utilize technology to connect sports and the classroom is with softball. A pitcher was analyzing a video and using other technology to interpret her pitching technique. From there, she was able to include the information in her physics class, focusing on specific aspects, such as velocity.
Overall, I was a bit amazed at what this school was doing with technology. Beyond everything else in the article and videos, I am fascinated with the connection made between the sports and the curriculum. It is obvious that high school students are very concerned with their extra-curricular activities. Therefore, by making this connection, I believe we are showing the students that we are just as concerned with these activities.
At Harrison Central H.S., they utilize technology to assist with different stats regarding the cheerleading squad and their routine. However, the use of these stats do not stop at practice. Instead, they move back into the classroom as stats are given to an algebra class. From there, the algebra students graph different pieces of information. Therefore, the technology helps the cheerleading squad, but it also links it up with the curriculum. Another specific way that they utilize technology to connect sports and the classroom is with softball. A pitcher was analyzing a video and using other technology to interpret her pitching technique. From there, she was able to include the information in her physics class, focusing on specific aspects, such as velocity.
Overall, I was a bit amazed at what this school was doing with technology. Beyond everything else in the article and videos, I am fascinated with the connection made between the sports and the curriculum. It is obvious that high school students are very concerned with their extra-curricular activities. Therefore, by making this connection, I believe we are showing the students that we are just as concerned with these activities.
Teach 42
So, at first, I did not realize that we were still supposed to locate an article or blog each week and write about it. However, last week I did post the following link to my blog because I thought it was a good site to vist. The following site is a blog: http://www.teach42.com/. Overall, I enjoyed looking at this blog. There are many different opportunities presented through the blog; however, I focused mainly on the updated entries. The updated entries are daily entries about 30 Ways to Become a Better Blogger. Each day gives advice to get the most out of your blog. On the first day, the topic is to focus on the "About" page. Therefore, the days start out simple and allows each user to establish one's self before diving into the posts. One useful tip lies within days 12 and 13. It teaches the user how ti declutter the sidebar. It's easy to clutter things in today's society, and that holds true even to a blog. In fact, after this post, I'm going to view my blog and keep it up-to-date. Yes, I will leave links on for a while, but I will make sure other links or widgets are not taking up any extra room. As I could go and tell you about everyday the author has touched upon, I'm not going to because I could not easily sum up all the advice he has given.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Tracking through RSS
As I first started up my feeder through Bloglines, I was a bit overwhelmed. I think that feeling came from me just trying to sit down and get it all started instead of trying to truly understand how this feeder could benefit me. However, as time passed, I understood why people use an RSS aggregator. Instead of typing and searching through many different sites and blogs, everything is in one spot. I have also decided that this does not have to benefit my educational experiences, but it can also benefit my interests and social needs as well. Below, I'm going to address some of my specific likes and dislikes with the different feeds that I chose as my top five.
CW TV Episode Feeds: Even though this was one of my last adds, I found it while I was actually on the website. While there, I learned that I can set it up on Bloglines. Therefore, I added it. I enjoyed this because it gave me information on my favorite TV shows. There is also a blog on the site, which I can access by going outside of Bloglines. However, I wish the blog for this site would be available on Bloglines.
Digital Passports: This is a useful feeder regarding education and technology. First, I found it on the following blog: www.teach42.com. Unfortunately, I could not subscribe easily to this blog, so I clicked on Digital Passports. This feed became useful becuase it gave different articles regarding the use of technology in education.
ESPN: As ESPN is one of my favorite websites to visit as much as possible, I appreciated the feed that kept me updated with the sports news. The only way it could've been better is if it also linked to the "Page 2" section of ESPN, which consists of my favorite articles.
iTunes: iTunes also consisted of useful feed because it keeps a list of updated and popular songs. I thought that it would be useful for teachers who utilize popular music in any kind of lessons.
The Tech Savvy Educator: This blog was very useful especially because I can go back and see other articles from previous dates. These feeds were also useful to learn new ideas for integrating technology.
All in all, it took a little while to get use to this application. However, once that happens, it is easy to see the organization and convenience that comes with utilizing an RSS aggregator. Finally, once I have more time and pay attention to all of the different feeds, it will be extremely useful as it will give me new ideas and keep me up-to-date.
CW TV Episode Feeds: Even though this was one of my last adds, I found it while I was actually on the website. While there, I learned that I can set it up on Bloglines. Therefore, I added it. I enjoyed this because it gave me information on my favorite TV shows. There is also a blog on the site, which I can access by going outside of Bloglines. However, I wish the blog for this site would be available on Bloglines.
Digital Passports: This is a useful feeder regarding education and technology. First, I found it on the following blog: www.teach42.com. Unfortunately, I could not subscribe easily to this blog, so I clicked on Digital Passports. This feed became useful becuase it gave different articles regarding the use of technology in education.
ESPN: As ESPN is one of my favorite websites to visit as much as possible, I appreciated the feed that kept me updated with the sports news. The only way it could've been better is if it also linked to the "Page 2" section of ESPN, which consists of my favorite articles.
iTunes: iTunes also consisted of useful feed because it keeps a list of updated and popular songs. I thought that it would be useful for teachers who utilize popular music in any kind of lessons.
The Tech Savvy Educator: This blog was very useful especially because I can go back and see other articles from previous dates. These feeds were also useful to learn new ideas for integrating technology.
All in all, it took a little while to get use to this application. However, once that happens, it is easy to see the organization and convenience that comes with utilizing an RSS aggregator. Finally, once I have more time and pay attention to all of the different feeds, it will be extremely useful as it will give me new ideas and keep me up-to-date.
Contribution to Wiki
At first, I was having diffuclty finding a wiki to make a contribution. However, once I found a few educational wikis, I could not make a decision where I wanted to add information that I have obtained. After reading many useful wikis, my favorite was http://wiki.classroom20.com. There are many different topics to learn about or to contribute to within the wiki. To continue with the flow of this class, I updated the "Blogging" category of the wiki.
http://wiki.classroom20.com/Blogging
Here, I took what I learned in just a week of this class. One heading read "What blogging does for students," and there were many key ideas regarding blogging. However, I thought I could add two pieces:
- Encourage student participation from all grade levels
- Give repetitive and conventional assignments a "new look"
Since I'm a secondary (English) teacher, I find many appropriate ways to integrate blogs compared to my classmates. However, after reading through class, I learned all levels can introduce and utilize blogging. Also, from our first assignment, I learned how blogging can spice up assignments, such as book reports. Therefore, I included those little tidbits of information.
http://wiki.classroom20.com/Blogging
Here, I took what I learned in just a week of this class. One heading read "What blogging does for students," and there were many key ideas regarding blogging. However, I thought I could add two pieces:
- Encourage student participation from all grade levels
- Give repetitive and conventional assignments a "new look"
Since I'm a secondary (English) teacher, I find many appropriate ways to integrate blogs compared to my classmates. However, after reading through class, I learned all levels can introduce and utilize blogging. Also, from our first assignment, I learned how blogging can spice up assignments, such as book reports. Therefore, I included those little tidbits of information.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Book Blogging
As my plate overflows professionally and socially, I instantly and constantly think of three priorities in my academic life right now: this class, my project/independent study, and my job teaching a new curriculum. The curriculum I am working with is dry and contains no technology. As my students cry to me about the boring strategies we must utilize, I went on the web looking for an aide to utilize to make me “me” and not a robot. While searching TeacherTube, I came across a video regarding book blogging. I have never heard of the term, so I watched the video. After watching the video, I was intrigued to share it through this post. To coincide with the video, I looked for an article. Even though the article and video do not match up completely, I combined to think of useful ways to utilize blogs in a classroom (particularly Language Arts).
Site for the video: http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e9aaf1ec9563bbac4058
Site for the article: http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/teacher_feature/teacher_feature148.shtml
The video addresses an activity, book blogging. On the video, the teacher says it can be in place of book logs, but I think there are many different ways in could be utilized in the content area. The video explains that each student would sign onto the school’s Blackboard and create a blog regarding a book that they read. Each blog must contain a picture, a background on the book (which is directed towards the student’s explanation of why and when it was chosen), a synopsis on the book, and a verdict (example: five out of five stars). It seems as the teacher utilizes this to ensure that student’s are reading outside of class. Unfortunately, I do not know how productive this activity may be for outside of my classroom. Truth is, the students could do the reading outside of the classroom. However, the book blogging would have to be done in my classroom because a lot of my students do not have the opportunity to access the Internet outside of school. On top of using book blogging for students to demonstrate outside reading, book blogging can be utilized to get the students interested in other pieces or introduce texts. They can be taken further and set up by the teacher to allow the students to participate in background knowledge activities.
Another way I felt book blogging would be effective is to utilize for online book clubs. In Cara Bafile’s article “Starring Jamie Boston,” Bafile discusses book clubs on a few different levels. From the article, I realized that Boston’s issue as a librarian was she wanted to have more people interact with the students and their book club, such as parents and staff. However, the evening meetings were not working. Therefore, book blogging can take book clubs to the next step by incorporating cyber space. Through book blogging, the discussion can be on-going and give many more people an opportunity to participate. The only issue that needed to be conquered was privacy issues. Once that is underway, book blogging can open the doors and invite more learners into the mysterious world of reading.
Site for the video: http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e9aaf1ec9563bbac4058
Site for the article: http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/teacher_feature/teacher_feature148.shtml
The video addresses an activity, book blogging. On the video, the teacher says it can be in place of book logs, but I think there are many different ways in could be utilized in the content area. The video explains that each student would sign onto the school’s Blackboard and create a blog regarding a book that they read. Each blog must contain a picture, a background on the book (which is directed towards the student’s explanation of why and when it was chosen), a synopsis on the book, and a verdict (example: five out of five stars). It seems as the teacher utilizes this to ensure that student’s are reading outside of class. Unfortunately, I do not know how productive this activity may be for outside of my classroom. Truth is, the students could do the reading outside of the classroom. However, the book blogging would have to be done in my classroom because a lot of my students do not have the opportunity to access the Internet outside of school. On top of using book blogging for students to demonstrate outside reading, book blogging can be utilized to get the students interested in other pieces or introduce texts. They can be taken further and set up by the teacher to allow the students to participate in background knowledge activities.
Another way I felt book blogging would be effective is to utilize for online book clubs. In Cara Bafile’s article “Starring Jamie Boston,” Bafile discusses book clubs on a few different levels. From the article, I realized that Boston’s issue as a librarian was she wanted to have more people interact with the students and their book club, such as parents and staff. However, the evening meetings were not working. Therefore, book blogging can take book clubs to the next step by incorporating cyber space. Through book blogging, the discussion can be on-going and give many more people an opportunity to participate. The only issue that needed to be conquered was privacy issues. Once that is underway, book blogging can open the doors and invite more learners into the mysterious world of reading.
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