Thing #12

How cool google is in the dictionary! WOW! I had no idea about this until I read the article in wikepedia this is what I found...."On October 25, 2006, Google sent a plea to the public requesting that "you should please only use 'Google' when you’re actually referring to Google Inc. and our services."  

That is crazy to me!

I chose Google calender....I really found this to be a good product. I can use this to keep track of teacher/parent conferences, any conferences that I need to attend as a teacher, any events in general from both business and personal. I also already knew about Picasa I have that as my picture file on my computer. I do photo projects and store my photos on there. I really love picasa I think it is one of the best picture programs out there as of right now. Technology changes so fast, Google makes it easier to keep up with the latest. That is why I love Google!

This is what I made with my picasa!

Thing # 11

I added thejounrnal.com and education week to my RSS feeds.  The hardest thing was looking for something that I would be interested in. The easiest method I found for finding feeds was google. Which is my favorite search engine. I typed in "school learning library 2.0" and found the journal and googled "education" to find education week, they even have an edition for teachers! When i went to add the journal to my feeds it asked me which one did I want to add?  There were several to choose from, it was confusing to me at first, so I just scanned through them to find the education articles and that is what I added. I think these two feeds will be useful to me as a future teacher! It will keep me updated on currect events in the education department. I did find out that there is a file search engine for your computer. I did not know that anything like that existed, you dowmload it to your computer and it searches your computer like it searches the web! I found that to be pretty unusual. All in all i have to say that I learned alot from thing number 11! I never realized how much stuff about education is out there in cyberspace! I love to learn new things!

Thing # 10

WOW, that was so easy!!!!!! The cool thing was I was going to choose google reader (because I am a google nerd...lol) and I googled it and it came up and it was already set up. The people that I am connected with on apsu 23 things was already on there and it showed them. I did not have to do anything. It was like my computer read my mind! lol     How awesome is that? Well so thing number 10 is complete easy as microwave mac and cheese!!

Thing #9

Well I have to say another hobby! I love image generators. I have done this before when I had myspace! FUN FUN FUN!
 I looked for one that was kid friendly and I made a sign for my pretend Kindergarten classroom door!
First, I  found a template that I liked, and added my text. Second, I played with the coordinates until it was centered on the page. Then to copy it I just right clicked on my mouse (pc) and saved as classroom sign. It was very easy and I enjoyed it!

http://www.imagegenerator.org/

Thing #8

Flickr fun with mashup! I have never heard of mashups before. I did read the article in wikipedia. I still really don't understand. I am gonna play with the website and see what I can come up with!

ok so I am off topic but I found this and wanted to share! I am very proud of my country and this made me cry when I was working on my Mappr.  I love the words that she attached to her picture! I don't know her but would love too!  Her screen name is RandomSandy.....She is an amazing U.S. citizen!  http://www.flickr.com/photos/ntxpeach68/281021538/

Ok so now on to my Flickr! lol...
 This was so easy and lots of fun....I think I have a new hobby just like she warned on the list....  :)
This is a mosic I made of my family!
"http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5009877916_3f1fcdc5bd.jpg"

I think Flickr could be used in the classroom to help me create "fun" projects for the students, will still be able to teach them what it is that we may be learning!
I am really starting to enjoy this whole blogging thing! I am learning so much.

Thing # 7

Well, I guess I should have read ahead on my "23 Things," I first used Flickr on my thing #6 and added a photo and uploaded one of my dogs. So I am gonna do this again and try to make it repetative! haha.

Here goes... I uploaded 2 more pictures, tagged them, which was very easy for me. I tag on facebook all the time! I also added the group apsu23things, this was a little harder because I wasnt paying attention to detail and I seperated the words, which in fact is all one word. Finding the html code was a little harder then what i thought it would be,  but I finally got it!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/5009584410_1a01bc24ff.jpg"

This is a picure of me and my hubby before he left in March!

This is the first time, I have used a photo hosting site, unless facebook counts?
My facebook is private though.  I don't  feel  very secure just having my personal pictures out there for everyone to see.

I think it would be so much fun, to use flickr in the classroom, I could take pictures and share them with my student's parents' another line of communication! However, when doing this I would have to be careful since they are minors!

Thing #6

Upon exploring web 2.0, I always google everything, if someone tells me something and I don't know or I think that it might not be true I go home and google it. Sometimes even in conversation someone might ask me a question and I don't know the answer to it I say "google it!" lol I know it is something that I have become very dependant on for information. The one thing that I make sure of is the connecting website is a  dot org or a reputable website.

 I used to think that Wikipedia was reputable however I have learned that those pages can be "edited," so some of the information may not be accurate. Also, some of my professors have stated directly in their instructions not to use wikipedia.

For this section of the "23 things" I chose: Flickr, I was surprised to learn that flickr was a yahoo website or program. I use yahoo all the time, I simply signed into my yahoo and I created a screen name, this was very simple for me to use since I was a yahoo user already! The hardest thing was trying to find my pictures of my dogs to upload. I finally found one: Here is a picture of my Beau (8 years) and my Cristal (7 years). I have had Beau (white) since he was 5 weeks old and Cristal since she was 1 year old. I love my babies!

"http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5004681424_78dcddec7d.jpg"

Thing #5

WOW! That video was amazing!

School 2.0 means a broader knowledge of the world around us. Being able to open doors, that have not been available to children of the past. Enhancing our lives with a foundation for "modern learning" in a "modern classroom." 

Even though I am not a true "treehugger" it means less paper and waste.

I believe for schools of the future, it means alot less expense, eventually it could cancel out having to buy textbooks, all together....everyone will just bring their labtops into school, use the internet to access the textbook, and classwork could be emailed to the teacher, once graded it could be emailed back to the student and the parents. What a way to bridge the gap in communication! Giving us the ability to teach students to their full potential! With better tehnological advances like that, image how it would help the economy, if every child graduated college and schools spent less money in order to educate those children!
That's a beginning to help stop poverty in America!

Thing #4

I always thought that blogging was not that interesting and felt that I did not have the time to be reading other peoples comments let alone make a comment on something I might have read. I guess you can call me one of those "lurkers"  Not that I meant to be, just that I never had the time to set up an account., so I would just read what it was that I needed the answer too and continue what I was doing. I now understand that you can learn alot from blogging, from statistical information to what is going on in your community. It opens a broad spectrum of learning. You can pick someones brain right from your own home!

I have chosen three people to follow and comment on in my class: Ms Joan's blog, Brittany Menee's blog and Matthew Ciezki's blog.
First of all, I sit beside Ms Joan in class, and I feel like I can learn alot from her. Also, when reading her blog I can relate to what she is saying, that makes it much easier to read and follow.
When reading Brittany's blog I have to say that I felt the same way she does about how blogging ( I had no idea really what it was like) when in fact it is like having a diary.
Matthew's blog caught my eye because of his title, when I got to reading I realized that we have a few things in common. One of the most important is communication between educators and parents!
I chose Kristyn because we took Educ 2100 together, and now have Math 1410 together, I really enjoy her. She is a sweet girl! I have located 2 more Lacey Chaney, she is in my class and we worked as a team today to figure out and accomplish the flickr photo issue! and Last but not least, I chose Heather Goodman, she is also in my class period and sits behind me in class. She and I have a lot of the same "fears" and we seem to think about the same way.

As I continue in this class I will find 2 more..hopefully! Now this is done!

1. Joan Ryan
2. Brittany Menees
3.Matthew Ciezki
4.Kristyn King
5.Lacey Chaney
6. Heather Goodman

Thing #3

I registered my blog today, I am hoping to try to catch up. I had fallen behind, now I am playing catchup!

I think blogging is a good way to be able to communicate with parents of elementary students. Communication is the key for success! I also believe that success begins at home. I can use my blog to update the parents as to what the class has accomplished, what is currently being taught, and the future objectives needing met. Together we can teach the child to achieve his full potential!

As teachers we learn how to reflect, I can use my blog for that as well.

Thing #2

During the process of making my blog I found it to be extremely easy. I am pretty current with technology, and that always helps! The directions for making my avatar were easy and it has step by step for adding it to the blog.

I am a mother of two wonderful kids...a girl 17 and boy 14! They are the love of my life. I have been married to my best friend for almost 15 years!

I created my blog name in reference to what I was using this blog for.... my education as a future educator! I am really excited about becoming a teacher! I have always loved kiddos and I like to teach people things they do not know...

Thing #1

When watching the video for lifelong learners, I come to realize  some of the things are easy for me. One is making and achieving my goals. I have always viewed problems as challenges, and I always use technology to my advantage. I love to teach others, when my children were small I taught them to read by the age of two. The things that I did not realize was: I am afraid of asking questions; I am always worried that I will mess up and people will think I am stupid! Also, I dont have alot of confidence in myself as a effective learner. I started  college when I was 34 years old and my parents told me I was too old. I almost changed my mind, my husband and children encouraged me to do so, and here I am 2 years later. I will be the first one EVER to achieve a college education in my family.