Thing #23

I learned about Creative Commons in a post a while back. I had no idea that the 23 Things that we are currently doing in class were based on 43 Things. The 43 Things is a website that people go and share thousands of pieces of information for others to use. I plan on using and teaching my students about Creative Commons. I feel that my students will benefit from learning what they can and cannot use when it comes to media especially pictures and music. I feel that if my students learn about copyrights and creative commons will make them better appreciate what they use online.

Thing #22

The binders I created for myself were the Civil War, the Great Depression, and the Civil Rights Movement. I created these three binders specifically for the United States history class I will be teaching. These three time eras are my favorite ones to teach. Having these binders let me organize material online or have Google put information into my binders. I set up each of my binders so that Google can input information that go along with the title of each binder. This could help me by either having more resources when it comes to finding material for lesson plans. It could also help me in that I can search by that title within my binder to see if students claimed material to be their own. I believe that LiveBinders will be extremely useful for me in my classroom. http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=655073&backurl=/shelf/my

Thing #21

I have seen Animoto before but, have never used it. I couldn't believe how easy it was! I signed up for a free account and that was it. The only thing that I didn't like was that if you wanted to have a fancier background or a longer amount of time for your video that you had to pay. Besides having to pay for a prettier video I loved it. It was so simple to uploads pictures or videos either from your computer or off of Facebook. I think that anyone could use this website to make educational videos or videos for fun. The fact that making the video was so simple I believe that anyone could use it. Students could make videos for projects they have or with their friends. I would recommend anyone young or old to make their own personal video on Animoto. http://animoto.com/play/Z1ZeBKYJ35qsSGoeAoUx4Q#

Thing #20

I have used YouTube many of times and I love it. I always use YouTube to watch music videos or funny videos. There is a couple things I really like about YouTube I like that making the accounts are free so that will be extremely helpful for a teacher. Another feature that I like is that you can leave comments or like videos. So I could leave a recommendation on a video and others could do the same to make my video better. The best feature YouTube has is being able subscribe to individuals. This can be very helpful because teachers or historians in my case share videos that can be extremely useful in my classroom. I like the idea of using videos within the classroom because students have many different of absorbing information and some students enjoy videos. Along with using YouTube in classrooms I think adding them to library websites is also beneficial. Videos can help anyone learn with movies, pictures, and music. Especially, in subjects like astronomy when students have to see planets move or rotate, having YouTube available can help better understand. I choose this video about the French Revolution. This video could be useful to show students how much money she spends while teaching about the French Revolution. 

Thing #19

I really enjoyed looking at all the online communities. I always thought the online communities were just social media like Facebook or Twitter. It opened my eyes to find out their were many different website communities based on specific careers, hobbies, and music. I find these social networks very appealing to me. I've always been a media or technology nerd and love to find new and interesting things. The site that really appealed to me was the website for crafts. I have an extreme passion for crafts and to find a blog besides Pinterest to find ideas were great. I have find many different ideas on craftster.org that I could use within my classroom. The ideas on this website aren't limited to making fun decorations but, also for activities and teachings for the classroom. I feel that teachers or anyone who love to make homemade things should join a craft community or anything that strikes their interests. 

Thing #18

It is important for teachers to be able to use social media because it keeps them connected to people all over the world. Teachers can communicate with each other all over the world. Teachers can ask other teachers about what they are doing in their classroom. On the other hand I love all the things Facebook and Twitter have to offer. On Facebook I like that you can create events or groups that you could potentially add parents or colleagues in it. I like that Twitter has it to where you can follow new feeds or people that would help with material in your classroom. I love having a social media sites for my own personal use. I honestly wouldn't want to use either Facebook or Twitter with any students or parents of my students. I feel that if you allow students or their parents to be your friend or follow you on Twitter that it is an invasion of privacy.

 

Thing #17

I joined the tagging website called Delicious today. First off that is an interesting name for a website and it seems cool! I always tag people when I'm on Facebook and Twitter so I might as well do it through a website. When I joined onto the website I could not manage to find anything when I looked under the search bar. I kept trying and trying but, the website kept defaulting me to insert a link. This process became very frustrating. After about fifteen or so minutes I was finally able to see bookmarks under the search educational technology. I found may sources that I could use within my classroom. I like that I can tag any bookmark by just typing a word. I feel that this website and websites that use tagging is very good for teachers and students. They allow you to classify large groups of things. 

Thing #16

I choose to use the calendar on Google. I choose this calendar because I already have a Google account and use Google as my homepage. So I figured it would be the easiest calendar to access. The online calendar is extremely useful to me because I can sync my friends calendars to my calendar. That way we can plan events and activities around each others schedules. It is also helpful because when I start to do parent-teacher conferences can allow parents to see my calendar. That way the parents can sign up for times to meet me around each other schedules. I love the idea of to-do lists. I like having a system that shows me exactly what needs to be done through the day. That way I will not become overwhelmed with tasks. I would recommend any online calendars or to-do lists to any parents, teachers, or students.

Thing #15

 

I know when I was going through high school and currently through college my teachers or professors warned me not to use Wikipedia. They always said "Wikipedia is not a valid source."  At this point in time I somewhat agree with them. One thing I like about Wikipedia is that it is a fast source that gives somewhat accurate information about anything. Wikipedia has almost everything you could possibly need to know quickly. Another feature is that when searching a person it breaks down there life into sections. Currently I looked up Jovan Vladimir for my history class and it broke down everything into life, cult, notes, and references. It was very helpful for a start on my research. One the other hand there is one bad thing that stands out to me about using Wikipedia is that anyone can edit the information. The fact that anyone has the ability to change the information makes this an not creditable source when it comes to research. Besides what I enjoy or do not enjoy about Wikipedia the entire concept of this website it very helpful for quick information.

 

 

 



Thing #14

I have never used organizing charts online before. The experience was actually very simple. I personally out of flowcharts and minds maps prefer flowcharts. Flowcharts are the traditional organizing charts that I was taught when I learned how to create charts in elementary school. I like them because they can be created easily and they can have the color changed on them as well. The mind maps were also easy to use but gave you less creativity than the flowcharts. I am totally going to use these charts on a project in the future.

Thing #13

I really enjoy using online applications and try to use them as much as I can. I currently have a Google Docs account and have used it since high school but, if I had to choose between and Google Docs and Zoho, I prefer Zoho. On Zoho I like that you can do so much more with your account then you can on Google Docs. When I was looking around the website I noticed many applications I can use during college and in my classroom. I'm all about multitasking when I invest my time into things. I  saw on Zoho that the applications were broken down into three application types: business, collaboration, and productivity. I feel that the three different types of applications can be used for my social, professional, and personal life. Some tools that I would use in the social life would be the calendar, chat, and notebook because I like to keep all my activities or plans organized. Within the business applications I would use the quiz maker, comment box, and meetings so, I can help students with assignments and plan parent meetings. In the productivity applications I can use documents, invoices, and books. I could use these applications to keep track of any bills I may have or books I would like to purchase. I highly suggest that anyone use online applications like Google Docs or Zoho to help them with their personal and professional life.



Thing #12

I must say that Google is by far my favorite search engine. I have always used Google docs or scholars but, never translator or the alerts. I feel that the translator will be very helpful when being a teacher because some students parents may not speak English. It can still give you access to talking with parents through email to talk about their child. The first thing I wanted to translate was my favorite childhood song the Macarena. I translated the song and some of words did not translate fully. I believe that no translation system is perfect but, this one is pretty good. The Google alerts is very interesting. I like that you can put what you are interested in on the query. I like that you can set up when you would like to receive the alerts. I think that this will be beneficial when I become a teacher because it emails you news or information.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6D6cINutAWUcUVkb3pkM1k4cVE/edit

Thing #11

First, when I started to look at websites and trying to find the RSS icon I was so confused. I felt that the Google Blog Search was extremely confusing. I couldn't understand how to work it or even find any blogs. When I went to Technorati I felt so much better. Technorati was so easy to use and to find blogs in it. I liked that it broke the blogs into sections like sports or a woman section. The first section that immediately caught my eye was the sports section. I found my two favorite baseball and football team right away. I also liked the DIY, travel, and celebrity sections. I feel that I would use those specific blogs a lot. A strange blog I found was Glosslip. I have never heard of Glosslip before so I was taken back by it. Another way I found some RSS blogs were from the Edublog's award winners. 

Thing #10

The Google Reader is very interesting to say the least. Google Reader reminds me of an online newspaper. I like that it allows you to subscribe to other people's blogs. It reminds me of this blog actually and how we can subscribe to other students accounts. I like that you can subscribe to other people's blogs instead of searching all over to keep up with news. I also like that there is two options when trying to follow or subscribe to someones blog. I like that you can type in the blogs title or by inserting a URL. I can definitely use the Googler Reader when I become a teacher because I will have access to numerous blogs. Having all these blogs in one location will help me when looking for ideas or topics on a piece of history I am teaching. I think teachers should definitely take advantage of using RSS or Google Reader in their classrooms. They could get the same great information and ideas that I would be using as a up and incoming teacher. When using RSS or Google Reader in my personal life I'm not sure that I will use it that often. I am mostly a social media person or a Twitter. If I was to use RSS in my personal life I would follow my friends, cooks, or blogs that make me feel more inspired.

Thing #9

When I was creating my own online image the process seemed every difficult. There was an option to upload your own pictures but, it would not allow personal pictures because they were too big. After finding a simpler site Customsigngenerator.com the images were much easier to create and download. I could these online image generators in my classroom by giving boring pictures new perspective. I took two simple pictures off Google and created a picture frame and a special effect. I would teach my students that they can create interesting effects and funny comic strips to add flavor to their PowerPoint's or projects.

http://www.customsigngenerator.com/

Thing #8

 


I feel that using Flickr Mash up was extremely difficult and the codes would not copy over. I think that using these images is a great idea and gives a stylish view of sentences and words. I like the idea of using these interesting mash ups but, the difficulty of this turned me off. I think that using some mash ups could spice up a PowerPoint or a newsletter. I like the idea of sharing images online especially when they can make your students remember what was discussed in class by pictures.

Thing #7

While I was exploring one of my favorite photo sharing sistes besides Pinterest out I started to look for images that would help with my future teachings. I typed the words the great depression into the search bar and a woman with her two children caught my eye. The picture is of a migrant mother holding her two children. This picture really spoke to me because that time in period was extremely rough on our country and the people. This woman looks tired and worried for the well being of her children. Besides being able to search images you can also search stories that go along with the images. I think Flickr is an amazing site and is a great tool for a teacher and student to use.

Image taken by:  Dorothea Lange in 1936 and later published in Life Magazine.

Thing #6

The tool I decided to explorer was the Google Calendar. I feel that the Google Calendar will be great in my classroom not only with the parents, faculty, but, the students. I want my students to feel that I am preparing them for college and by making a calendar of all tests and assignments they will not be alarmed when they attend college. I like that Google Calendar is a free tool and it is based on the Internet and you can access it from a smart phone or email. Parents can share and subscribe to my classes calendar so that they also know when assignments are due. I like that you can also set up the calendar on what you feel is important as a parent. They is honestly nothing I do not like about this tool. I feel that it would be very beneficial for myself in my classroom.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13546_109-10237689-29.html?tag=mncol

Thing #5

When I first heard of Web 2.0 I was skeptical. After reading all the information about it I find it very necessary. I believe that we are living in the age of technology and that younger children are getting introduced sooner to technology. If students go to school every day with a teacher while using computers it will help with any questions or concerns. I also feel that going in this route will cause students to get off track easily. With so much social media and games on the Internet they could become more distracted than in a regular classroom. My opinion of Web 2.0 classrooms is a even straight down the middle or pros and cons. I feel that the real negative point of going to Web 2.0 classrooms is that students wouldn't go to regular school anymore which not only creates a learning environment but, a social environment. I feel that students need to be involved in their schools and have interaction with other students to create a well- rounded person. I feel that option is for some students but, not for everyone.

Thing #4

 I believe that blogging and commenting makes a great sense of community because anyone can comment on what you have said. The internet allows people from all over the world to look and discuss what you have said which excites me. The fact that many different view points and cultures can help me help my students is inspiring. I found within my commenting that especially on 7 1/2 habits that my peers biggest problem is responsibility and the easiest to be enjoying themselves within their classroom. I feel that I too also struggle with procrastination and overloading myself which I feel is a common problem with teachers. That they overload themselves with workload and things to do within the school. Being able to enjoy yourself within the classroom and with your students will make your students enjoy coming to your class and learning what you are teaching. I commented on Cecily Brooks, Misty Stehle, Katie Shaffer, Stephanie Moran, and Daniel Lugo's blogs. My two extra blogs that I choose were Jessica Shaw and Victoria Mar's blogs. I choose all these blogs randomly. I went through the class lists and choose them by which level of things they have completed so that I had a vast amount to comment on. I made the comments I did because I wanted to leave positive words so that these future teachers know that they are going to make a difference with their students.

Thing #3

I believe a teacher would use a blog to communicate to students more in depth instructions and helpful hints. When I start teaching in my own classroom blogging will be very important for students to fully grasp United States history. I would use a blog to post pictures to go along with what we have been talking about in class and in the book. When the students begin to work on research papers I could upload a link so that they can go to websites for extra help or to get research. I would post a template on writing in Chicago style, so that they will have something to base their paper off of. I would also encourage students to create their own blog so that they can not only discuss school assignments but, about things happening within their lives.

Thing #2

  When making my blog I decided on my title and URL because of the basic information in my life. For the title of my blog I simply put my last name so that myself and other students in the class can easily access my blog. I decided on the URL name for my blog because I want to be a Secondary History teacher, and will be hopefully, start teaching in the year 2014. Creating this blog was very simple. The most difficult part most of been adding my avatar into the blog but, the overall process of creating the blog was very simple with step by step instructions. While making my avatar on Doopleme I made the avatar to resemble closely to me. My personality is very light and bubbly and I wanted my avatar to reflect that. I choose a pretty pink top and a heart background because these are things you will find me wearing or using in real life.

Thing #1

While watching the 7 1/2 Habits of Lifelong Learners I noticed that a lot of the habits actually relate to me. The hardest habit that challenges me the most is taking responsibility for my own learning. While I was growing up I always felt that I needed someone to push me and hold me accountable for doing things even if it was beneficial for me. I have always had a problem pushing myself to study or complete assignments ahead of schedule and not procrastinating. I feel that once I master the habit of holding myself accountable that I will be happier and less stressed. Of all the seven and a half habits I feel that using technology to my advantage is the easiest habit. Whenever I am faced with a problem or an assignment I always use the internet or some tutorial to help me. In this day in age using technology is the easiest form of communication to help with any assignments.