Is This the End or Only the Beginning?

This 23 Things Blog has been a roller coaster ride! I sometimes experienced feelings of frustration when trying to figure out embedding codes and HTML and things like that, but I also was very proud of this blog. Completing this project and doing these activities have made me so much more confident in technology and my future as a teacher. Now, I'm not so afraid of being left behind since before, I wasn't the most tech savvy person in the world. I was pretty surprised at how little I knew about technology. I honestly had never heard of about half of the websites we used and RSS feeds and things. I knew nothing about social bookmarking or even much about bookmarking in general. That's sad, right? I learned how to use so many things! Things like image generators, iGoogle, to-do lists and calanders, and LiveBinders. Many of these Web 2.0 tools I can use just about everyday and many of them will make my life much easier. I liked almost everything about the project except that some things repeated several times. I feel like there were a few too many things about social networking. But all in all, it was a great program and I learned many things!

I am continuing to learn about new technology after this class by subscribing to the RSS feed for the Learning 2.1 blog. Technology changes so fast and it is very important to keep up with it so my students will get the most they can out of my class.

Thing 23

Creative Commons licensing is a very important thing to know about as a teacher or anyone using the Internet for resources. Dr. Wall credited several different people for our 23 Things blog as you can see in this screen shot below. Although Dr. Wall modified it, she still had to give credit since it was not her original idea.

As a teacher, I will have to use Creative Commons licensing because even though it may seem harmless to copy and paste something, it could actually get you into trouble. 

Thing 22

The three binders that I made all had websites and resources that we learned about in our instructional technology class. I decided to share my LiveBinder that I titled 3040 Binder. It has 3 tabs; the first is the Cool Cat Teacher blog, the second is Flickr and the last one is Zoho.

3040 Binder

LiveBinders are great because you can add a website to a binder anywhere, as long as you have internet access. Teachers can use them for the classroom to keep themselves organized. They are also easy to share so they could be used to share helpful websites and resources with parents and students. Teachers could also make a LiveBinder filled with resources to help students out on an assignment or project that they may have to work on at home.

Thing 21

Try the slideshow maker at Animoto!

I really enjoyed making my video on Animoto because it was easy and fun! All I had to do was chose a the style I wanted, choose music, and choose the pictures and Animoto did the rest of the work. The only downside of Animoto is that if you want a video that lasts longer than 30 seconds then you have to pay for an upgrade. In the future I might decide to do this because I think I could use Animoto to pay a slideshow of pictures for open houses or classroom parties or projects, among other things.

Thing 20

I absolutely love Youtube! It's such an easy website to search for and watch videos that interest you. Most times I watch music videos for funny videos or news stories that interest me. I found this video about the roles teachers can play in students lives. It made me a little emotional to think about the impact I could have on a student's life by encouraging them and that is what makes me look forward to becoming a teacher!



This video is about the importance of teachers knowing how to use the Internet because it is the future; it's not just a fad. I thought it went along perfectly with our instructional technology class, plus the little boy in it is pretty adorable!



I also explored Teacher Tube. Both of these websites could be used in the classroom to show video clips or something that could enhance the lesson. I've had several teachers in the past do this. It's refreshing to watch a video occasionally instead of just listening to a lecture, plus there are a lot of great educational videos out there!

Thing 19

In addition to Twitter and Facebook, I have also joined the social networks TeacherPop and Craftster. TeacherPop is appealing because it is specifically for those networked to APSU. This network is a place for teachers to communicate and share ideas about common interests, which is teaching and education. I also decided to join Craftster. It is a social network for people who enjoy doing crafts and making art for a hobby. On the website you can find out how to do just about every craft imaginable. There are articles, pictures and videos. My favorite part of the website is the tag cloud. The tag cloud has hundreds of different tags of things such as, Halloween, Christmas, children's books, and different crafts that go along with each tag. I think I could use this later on in the classroom to find crafts for students to do that could enhance the curriculum.

Thing 18

I can say with confidence that I use facebook more than any other website. Whether I'm procrastinating homework or waiting for class to start, there's a good chance that I'm on my facebook page! Educators should know about social networking because it can help them communicate and learn from one another. When I joined twitter for this project I followed a couple of educators and while reading through their tweets I learned a lot about different technology and government programs and things I had never heard of. I personally like facebook more than twitter because it is simply more personable. However, if I were to use social networking in or for the classroom, I would probably get one separate from my personal facebook or twitter. Both of them could be used to share things such as classroom news and projects with parents. Because they, like me, probably use social networking quite often so it could be an easy way for them to stay up to date. With facebook, you could also share pictures. Facebook or twitter could also be used to network with co-workers or other educators to receive and share advice or resources.

Thing 17

While exploring Delicious, I found it to be a great way to find and share websites. It is simple to use and it is very similar to Diigo. You can find websites by searching for tags that interest you. I think the best thing about social bookmarking websites like Delicious, is that you can access the websites from any computer. Teachers can use social bookmarking to find and share helpful websites with each other. Teachers could also use it in the classroom to share websites with their students. It also might be a good tool for students so they can share websites with each other, for if maybe they're all working on the same project.

Thing 16

For this "Thing," I actually did not make a start page, because I already have one! I have my own personalized iGoogle for my start page right now and I love it. I also already have a calender on there too. It's awesome because every time I turn on my computer, I'm reminded of all of the week's activities, events or assignments. I also explored all of the to do lists, and honestly, I could not see my self using any of them. It seems like a lot of work to log onto a certain website just to see the things I have to do when I could just use an app on my phone or a written list instead. Of all the tools I have explored, I would recommend iGoogle. The calender to countdown clock and to do list on there can help you stay on track and organized. The best thing about it is that everything is all in one place!

Thing 15

I had no idea what wikis were until I was preparing to present my website of the day and I had to create my own. I didn't edit it so I still didn't really grasp the concept if wikis until I edited the APSU 23 Things Sandbox Wiki. I was surprised by how easy it was to use. It was as simple as clicking edit and save. It is a great tool to use to learn from your peers or collegues. Wikis could be used in the classroom as a way for students to collaborate on projects or share ideas. However, I could not see myself using this with six or seven year old students in my future first grade classroom.

Thing 14

For this "thing" I created accounts in Gliffy and Bubbl.us. Flow charts can be great visual aids because they can easily show the cause and effect of things such as in history or reading lessons. They can also be used for several things in English or to describe a process. Gliffy had several other things to offer besides just flow charts. On the website, you can also create Venn diagrams, which I love! I could see myself using them a lot in my first grade classroom as a visual aid to compare and contrast things. I actually created one to prepare to record my podcast for comparing and contrasting folktales and fairy tales.

Mind maps are a little different. They aren't quite as easy to understand as a visual aid, they are more for the presenter or for brainstorming. I had never heard of mind maps before so I didn't know what they were, and after exploring Bubbl.us, I'm still not too sure! I couldn't see myself using mind maps for a classroom of first graders.

Thing 13

Exploring the web-based applications, Zoho Writer and Google Docs was very interesting to me because before, I wasn't aware that anything like that existed. I had always been familiar with using Microsoft Word because it is the most popular word processor, but I had never thought of there being anything like it online. These applications are great because they're free and they can be accessed by logging onto any computer. You can do pretty much anything on them that you can do with Microsoft Word, maybe even more. However, I didn't particularly like these applications compared to Microsoft Word, simply because I'm not as familiar with them. I noticed a few gliches in Zoho when I saved my document. They alignment would change after I saved it and it took me a while to get it back to how it was. Then when I saved it again, it would do the same thing! I also had trouble uploading it to my blog. I never figured out a solution to either of those problems after playing with it for quite a while. Of the two applications I liked Google Docs better because I didn't have to create a new account, since I already had a google account. I also thought Google Docs was just more user friendly.

C:\Users\Owner\Downloads\test_doc_1 (5).html

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zlI4tiVTqakO5P7E6G40PXUIRh7wZfxaDQCUhPqLn4A/edit?hl=en_US#

These applications could have several advantages in the classroom. Students could collaborate on projects easier with less emailing back and forth. Also, students could access documents, which they may have worked on during class, via internet instead of uploading things to flashdrives or having to purchase Microsoft Word.

Thing 12

The first Google tool that I chose to explore was iGoogle. It was very easy to set up and it makes a great homepage. It's almost like the Google reader where it gives you a lot of information all in one place. On the page, It tells me the date, the weather and news stories. I have also have websites I use a lot like youtube and facebook on the left side. One thing I love about iGoogle is all the different gadgets. I went a little crazy and added quite a few of them. I have one that shows me the show times of movies around clarksville. I have a gadget that's a countdown to my birthday. I have a daily bible verse and quotes gadget. I even have a funny cat photos gadget, but my favorite by far is the self-esteem booster gadget that told me my shoes were fabulous! Although I do love my iGoogle, I can't see a purpose for using it in the classroom.

http://www.google.com/ig?hl

My experience making the Google Calendar was a little bit more difficult. I didn't like the default calendar where it showed one week at a time and you had to put a start and end time for everything. It's not something that I could see myself using often. I would rather just use the calendar on my phone or write things down in a planner. It could be helpful for a teacher to keep up with things such as test dates or meetings or parent teacher conferences. The calendar can send a notification to your phone or email reminding you about your events. Or you can put it as a gadget on your iGoogle like I did, this way you can see your events every time you get online.

https://www.google.com/calendar/render?gsessionid=OK

Thing 11

Like most of the other "Thing 11" blog posts I've read, I found the Google Blog Search and Technorati the easiest to use. I use Google all the time so the layout was very familiar and easy for me. I liked the Technoranti blog finding tool because it separated the blogs into different categories. There was a category for business, entertainment, sports, politics and there was even one just for women! Syndic8.com was by far the most confusing. I didn't care for the layout and it didn't take long for me to give up on it.

I found the most useful and interesting blog on the Google Blog search. It's called Journeys of an Inspired Teacher. The blog is about a first grade teacher and he writes about his first year of teaching. The most unusual thing I found was on Topix.com. I searched k-6 education and a website about the New Whales Government came up. I noticed a lot of other random topics appearing when I searched on Topix.com.

I also found BlogPulse.com as a way to locate newsfeeds. Like the others, you just type keywords into the search box, explore and learn!

Thing 10

RSS is a great thing that I just now learned about! I've always noticed the little orange icon on my computer screen but I never really wondered or cared to know what it was. Now that I've set up an account, I realize that it's just a faster way to keep up with all your favorite websites. I subscribed to a couple of my favorite blogs, a couple of teacher blogs and youtube. As a teacher, I might have a separate reader to keep up with teaching and school related websites and a different reader to keep up with my personal favorite websites. That way when I'm browsing through school stuff, I won't get distracted with other things. Teachers, like everyone else, can use RSS to stay up-to-date and save time browsing.

Thing 9

I created my first sign at http://www.signgeneratormaker.com/ I just chose the sign I wanted from a long list of already made templates and typed in the message I wanted it to say. It was very simple to make and I think it makes good decoration for a classroom. Also, it might motivate or remind students that it is important to pay attention in class.

The second sign I made was a "reading center" sign. I made it on www.text2logo.com. Most k-6 teachers have different centers in their classroom where the students break into groups and rotate around the classroom in different learning stations. Signs like these are necessary so students know where to go. It also makes the classroom seem more organized when things are labled.

Thing 8

Exploring Flickr mashups and third party tools was really neat. If it had not been for this "thing," I may have never known how to create these neat little signs for my classroom one day. I used Spell with Flickr to make a sign of my name and I could put it on my desk or on the door of my classroom. Flickr mashups can be used in your personal life also. You could just play around with them for fun or you could make gifts for your friends or family.

Sharing photos online is normally a good thing only if it is done tastefully. Teachers need to be careful with what photos they share online on websites such as facebook because people are always watching teachers. Parents want to make sure their child is being taught by someone who is responsible and a good role model. If teachers share pictures of their students online, it is always a good idea to have permission first. All in all sharing pictures online is a good thing because the World Wide Web would not be what it is today if no one shared pictures.

Thing 7

I really enjoyed exploring Flickr! It was amazing to see how artistic and creative some of the photographers were. It was fairly easy to navigate the website. I just typed in a keyword and a lot of great and interesting photos appeared. I typed the word teacher into the search box and this picture came up. I know it's wrong to stereotype, but when a lot of people, especially kids, think of teachers, they might think of someone who looks like the lady in this picture. When I was in first grade actually, for career day, we were supposed to dress like a person in the profession we wanted to go into. Of course I dressed as a teacher. I even wore red glasses similar to the ones in the picture; I think that's one reason why I like this picture by AhavaHaEmet so much.

I thought using Flickr to browse photos was very simple. I'm sure I would find it more complicated if I actually made an account and loaded pictures onto it. I couldn't really see myself using Flickr in the classroom, except for maybe a visual aid once in a while.

Thing 6

While browsing through the Web 2.0 Awards nominees, I noticed many websites that I use very often and some that I even use daily. I found many interesting sites that were new to me, but one I really liked was topix. Topix is an internet news community. Users can read about news stories posted by other users. Users interact with each other by commenting on posts. There is normally a link to the actual story on each forum so you can read and find out more about the topic. You can also type in your area code and find local news. There are also different headings and types of news. There are the top stories, politics, US news, world news and even sports and entertainment news so it is easier to find what you're looking for. You can even start your own forum if you're looking for feedback on a certain topic. Teachers could use this website as a way of communicating with each other. They can also use it as a way to keep up with current news in education.

Thing 5

While reading about Web 2.0, I realized it is a great thing for both teachers and students. I also realized how much technology has changed since I've been in elementary school, which is the level that I want to teach at. When I was in elementary school, we had a computer lab that we would go to once a week. We only used the computers to play educational games. We used a blackboard or chalkboard. Sometimes the teacher would use a projector with transparencies. In fact I didn't even know what a smartboard was until I came to school at Austin Peay! I consider myself old fashioned. I still plan on using paper, pencils, books and blackboards daily with an occasional Powerpoint in the classroom. Technology is always changing and that is not a bad thing at all. As future teachers, we will also need to change with it to keep up. Web 2.0 and School 2.0 are great things that make learning easy and accessible for everyone.

Thing 4

Commenting is not only important in blogging, but it's essential. If someone wrote a blog and no one ever commented on it, the person would probably lose hope. They would wonder if anyone even read their blog or if they were just wasting time. When people give up on their blogs or lose enthusiasm, we could be losing valuable opinions and advice. It is also important not to only leave a comment, but a meaningful and helpful one that isn't rude even if we disagree with the opinions of the blogger. It is also neat because by commenting on someone else's blog, you can cast your vote on the topic and tell how you feel. By doing this, you can also draw attention to your own blog, which is also a cool thing. The more followers and attention your blog gets, the more confidence you build in yourself and your opinions.

Another great thing about commenting is the conversations it starts. When a group of people who are all interested in similar things and follow the same blog, then they can all learn together by sharing ideas and opinions. This after all is the whole point of blogging!

Although I read most of the blogs from our group, I mainly chose to comment on friend's blogs or one's that were interesting to me. I commented on Kelsie Penick's "Thing 2" to encourage her idea to start a blog for her photography. I commented on Kelsey Gardner's "Thing 9" to weigh in my opinion on the images she generated, which I liked. On Kyle Thompson's "Thing 6," I agreed that Skype could be a useful technology in the classroom in the future. On Blair Offut's "Thing 1," I let him know that I liked the name of his blog and I thought his avatar represented him well. I commented on Christy Colby's "Thing 1" because I thought it was inspiring and I wanted to wish her luck.

I also commented on two blogs outside of our education project also. I left a comment on Max Andrew Dubinsky's blog called Make It Mad. He is a christian blogger and he is my absolute favorite. The blog post was called "A Letter To My Future Son," I posted that was something that my parents would want me to hear, especially at this stage of my life. I also commented on a blog called Journeys of an Inspired Teacher which I talk about in "Thing 11" too!

Thing 3

As a future teacher, the blogs I could see myself most interested in would be blogs of my peers. Reading other teacher's blogs could help me get ideas of things to try in the classroom. Since that's what I would find interesting and helpful, that's probably what I would blog about also. Blogging is a good way to share teaching and learning experiences. I could learn what works and what does not work for students in the classroom. I could learn about or share review games, group projects and many other things that students could enjoy and be beneficial to them at the same time.

Since I plan on teaching younger elementary school children, they probably would not be able to keep up with their own blog. It could be a good way however to keep in touch with the parents of my students. I could post what we are learning or activities for the week so they can help their child stay on track, or ask me any questions or concerns they may have. Blogging could be a good way of communication along with sending letters home and email.

Thing 2

I decided to call my blog "Mallory Stewart's 23 Things" because it is short and sweet. The title tells who I am and what I am blogging about. I've never created a blog before, but I was surprised about how simple it was to make. The directions were very self explanatory and I liked that. The avatar was also simple to make, but it did take me a few minutes to figure out how to put it on my page. I tried to make the avatar look similar to me. It has straight blonde hair and green eyes. I think it captures my personalitiy just because it's smiling and seems like it has a positive attitude and I like to think I do too!

Thing 1

Before watching the 7 and 1/2 habits tutorial, lifetime learning was something that I was already aware of. Even outside of a person's education, he or she can see every struggle or obstacle in his or her life as a learning experience. The tutorial did help me recognize the strengths and weaknesses of my learning habits. I believe the habit that comes the most natural for me is the second habit. I accept responsibility for my own learning by always attending class, studying and getting assignments done on time. The habit that I struggle with is the first habit. I normally set goals, such as making an A in a class, but I don't map out the specifics how I am going to accomplish the goal. Because of this I often end up procrastinating and stressing out. Now that I have realized my strengths and weaknesses, I now know what to focus on to help me be a better lifetime learner.