Thing 22

Here is my wiki. I can see a use for a wiki in the classroom when there is a need to have collaboration on a group project. Being a member of a group and being able to see and to edit each other's work from different computers is a time saver. I have worked on too many group projects where the emails are flying or everyone is sitting around one computer trying to put a project together. A wiki is more fluid with the original information being changed or updated by members of the group as needed. A blog seems more static. Information is posted and a person can comment on it perhaps adding new insights but not changing the original post. Also, a blog is in chronological order with the comments following the post.

Thing 21

Although there are some very good wikis listed that have been created for classrooms, I still have difficulty as to how to use one in my classroom. I know that I would have to be more familiar with the entire concept before I attempted it with students. My concern is that students would be able to add or to alter other student's work. Middle school students are not always kind. What they believe to be funny could be perceived as cruel to another student.

At this time, I could envision using this with the staff. It would be a great tool to be used along with PLC meetings. Any document that needs to be created could be done in a collaborative manner among the members of that community. Plus there is an area for discussion. A wiki that I found which demonstrates this idea is entitled Web in the Classroom Wiki. It provides good web resources from many teachers.

Thing 20

Navigating EPN was easy. However, most of the podcasts that interested me were either nonexistent or dated. Podcast Alley was user friendly and had a good selection of choices. Subscribing through Bloglines was easy. I subscribed to Teacher 2.0. This had a selection of podcasts on e-learning tools, Internet sites, and Web 2.0 technologies. Each podcast is short and the site is updated on a regular basis. The easiest site to use was iTunes. The interface is user friendly. Subscribing did not present any problems. However, on iTunes I subscribed to more podcasts of personal interest rather than anything to do with education.

Thing 19

The first podcast I listened to was on Internet Safety. This podcast was an interview of Prof. Michael Quinn, Dean of Science and Engineering at Seattle University. He is the author of the book, Ethics for the Information Age. This interview discussed the use of the Internet from the standpoint of safety and ethics. He brought up some interesting points to consider:

• Technologist need to think about unintended consequences of new technologies.
• When should parents allow children to use certain technologies? Let kids be kids.

This interview was interesting, but beyond the scope of the age group I teach. However, this podcast could be used as a resource for me with the important points being restated to the student level.

The second podcast I listened to was What is Web 2.0? This podcast gave a description of Web 2.0 in contrast to Web 1.0. It also described how students would be able to use Web 2.0 tools in their schoolwork.

The information in the second podcast could be used to explain the Web 2.0 and its potential in education. However, the information seemed dated--maybe because I have been so immersed in this class. Keeping podcast information timely became evident to me.

The contrast between the two podcasts made me realize they have different uses. The interview was more entertaining as two people were talking and bantering with each other. The second podcast seemed more information based, like a lecture, as one person was talking. Also, to me using the computer involves the visual. It was odd just listening to someone talking and not seeing much on the screen. Using an iPod for a podcast makes sense as it is mobile and can be taken with you as you do something else.

Thing 18

Classroom use was obvious when using Slidehare. If a presentation already exists, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. A large amount of time could be saved by using this site. It offers a wide selection of presentations on a variety of subjects. By uploading your own presentation, the problem of emailing a large file is eliminated. Also, the presentation is available for use at all times. Due to the large number of topics, Slideshare could be used in my personal life to explore some topics of interest.

I choose a presentation on Copyright as this is an area that students often find confusing. The author did a nice job explaining the subject with a good use of graphics and color.

Copyright Basics

View more presentations from William Breitsprecher.

Thing 17

I tried a few of the productivity tools, but the one I liked the best was Remember the Milk--even the name seemed interesting. I am always looking for a new way to organize myself, and this seemed like a good tool to try. However, after listing the tasks I realized that it would be more effective to use this on a mobile device rather than just a computer. This is the type of tool that you would want to take with you. I did like the idea of sharing the tasks with someone else and reminding them to "remember the milk" on the way home.

Thing 16

Google Docs can be used in my personal life when I work on a collaborative document. The ability to access a document through the Internet from different locations and to be used by multiple users simultaneously is a time saver. Google Docs would be convenient to use when planning a family reunion and family members were compiling attendance, events, or menu items. Having one document for everyone to work on would stop the deluge of email attachments.

At school Google Docs could change how a computer applications class is taught. A component of a computer applications class is to use an identical assignment for all students in order to teach them how to use the Microsoft software. It is not a collaborative effort. With Google Docs it would be possible for students to have a completed assignment saved in Google Docs with other students having access to it. The Google Docs document could be accessed and saved by any invited student in the format used by Microsoft products and handed in as their own work. The students could create a group using a home computer and their own email addresses.

Also, with Google Docs being readily available and free will Microsoft products become obsolete? Although Google Docs does not possess the advanced features of the Microsoft products, it has a good selection of the basic features most people use. In addition, it is accessible from any computer with Internet access. School districts are facing budget cuts and software licensing for a district is expensive. This could be seen as an inexpensive solution.

Thing 15

After completing Thing 15, RSS is becoming easier to understand. Due to the large amount of information available today from so many sources it is difficult to keep up. Having the news delivered to me in a timely fashion is far more efficient than having to search for it. Combining Delicious with Bloglines is another avenue to scan information effectively.

Once again lack of time is the enemy. Presently, I check my feeds occasionally. This will have to become a habit I develop over time.

Thing 14

I like the fact that Delicious is accessible from any computer with Internet access. More accessibility should allow me to become more organized in my use of bookmarks. Working on more than one computer has always been difficult as the bookmarked links were not easily transferable. In addition, with Delicious I can use the web sites of other users with a common interest. Tagging will let me target proven sites and help me find sites that I may have otherwise missed.

A classroom Delicious account could be set up to allow students access to preselected sites for research. Secondary students should be encouraged to set up their own account for research due to the use of home and school computers. Set up could be done at home as it does require an email address. They should be able to access the Delicious site at school.

Thing 13

Tagging is a good way to organize digital resources. Using tags makes it easier to locate your own resources and the resources of others. I like the fact that delicious is an Internet site that can be accessed at any computer. Too many times, I have bookmarked a site on my school computer and have had to email the link to my home computer. Delicious will eliminate this process.

The advantages of tagging are to reduce the time looking for a favorite web site and to allow the user to share the web site in a collaborative manner. The disadvantage of tagging is the lack of a uniform system for keywords, vocabulary used, or structure. Not having a set standard can lead to confusion as to the meaning of a tag.

Before assigning a tag it is important to remember this information will be shared with others. Therefore, the tag should relate to the bookmarked site making it easier to find.

Thing 12

The widget was easy to embed. I had to remember to use the Html section so the reminder in the directions was helpful. The tough part was to make a choice--there are so many widgets. I tried a few different sites and decided upon Widgetbox. The ads didn't seem as obvious.

I am familiar with Facebook. Most people I know use these sites to stay in touch with family and friends. The relationship has already been formed, and existing relationships can be strengthened. I think kids like these sites because it is one more way to stay in touch with their friends. Also, they can personalize these pages to reflect who they are today.

Thing 11

When I received my first comment, I was surprised and curious. I had expected Kathy to read my blog and comment on what I was doing, but I had not expected other participants to comment. It felt good to know that someone took the time to read my blog and tell me what they think of it. Comments provide feedback and interaction between the members of an online community. Communication keeps the blog interesting and alive. As I was writing my comments, I took time to be thoughtful in what I said and was careful of spelling and grammar. I would hope students would do the same.