Thing # 9

http://www.signgenerator.org/thumbs.htm

http://buy4cheap.brinkster.net/signs/people/make.asp?text=It%27s+Never+Too+Late+To+Do+Your+Best%21&fontsize=14&font=Comic&color=black&move=&move2=&cartoon=will-smith-fresh-prince

I really enjoyed creating all this stuff. I've been playing with it for a while. I uploaded a few of the posters I want to put around my room. Two are motivational, and one is to reinforce my rules. I don't allow students to go to the bathroom unless the students have a pass, but I still constantly have them coming up asking to go with no pass. This way, all I have to do is point at the sign. I see lots of ways to use this. I'd like to see if maybe there's a mash-up of FlickR photos that would combine with the sign generator or image generators.

Did you know you can upload a picture to FedEx.com and they will make your picture into a full color poster? It's a wonderful way to make posters for your class and your home, or flyers to advertise something.

Any other ideas. I'm off to look for more.

Thing #8

If I did this right, I saw a beautiful picture on one of the mashups called FlickrRandom. It was the most amazing sight. It truly picked up random pictures from flickr and made beautiful things happen. There were gorgeous pictures and you hit the random button and it picked up 6 more beautiful pictures. I loved looking at the different mashups, but my technological ineptitude only allowed me to figure out how to use one or two. I can see so many uses for this. I would love to let my kids use the spell with Flickr to find a way to spell their name out that truly reflects their personality. It would be such a great way to get to know each other the first week of school.

One thing I was really upset with myself because I don't know who I got this picture from. I accidentally closed the window while I was trying to get the stuff in to the blog. I know the url was http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1354/1226120171_8d59a0d9ba_b.jpg

Does anyone know how to get back and get the credit? Go look at the mashups and really take a look at FlickrRandom. You will see some amazing pictures.

Flickr image post - Thing 7

IMG_0113
Originally uploaded by amshisteacher

If I'm lucky verrrrrryyyy lucky, this will work this time. I've only been trying for three days to get this picture to post.

Thing 7

I'm having incredible difficulty posting a picture. I have tried using Flickr's tool and Bloggers Image add, but othing works. Does anyone have any suggestions please? I'm begging here.

I did manage to send the photos to the Thingster groups. Now, I have used photobucket, but not with groups or anything just to send to friends and family members. I can see some uses for Flickr. I'm also using photo story and it would be great to credit the photographer, and create photo stories that tell our American story. I don't worry to much about having photos online. I'm pretty careful with what I put online anywhere. I think I would be very careful with putting photos of people especially.

I have to tell you I am incredibly frustrated with trying to use the blog with images. I finally managed to get Flickr to send a photo to my blog. Thank goodness.

Thing #6

Select any site/tool from the list of Web 2.0 Awards nominees. (If you prefer to select from just the winners, here’s a link to the short list.)
Explore the site you selected.
Create a post about your discovery. What did you like or dislike about the tool? What were the site’s useful features? Could you see any applications for its use in a school or library setting?

I explored Yahoo Answers in the advice category. What a great tool! Some students have difficulty finding information with a search. They can't narrow their subject enough. To be able to ask a simple question might make it easier for them. Students have difficulty with research. Yahoo Answers might give them some pointers on how to find things.

I also noticed that many of the questions were things they might not feel comfortable asking an adult. (For example, someone asked about a strange rash.) Students might not feel comfortable asking an adult, even a parent about some questions. They could ask questions about cutting, suicide, anorexia, etc. These are things they might be tempted to do, but hide. With this tool, they could explore the issue without bias or fear of being caught.

I can also see where this could be a little too broad. I wonder if there is a similar tool on Yahooligans? If there is, that would perhaps help to narrow down the inappropriate materials on the web.

I like the categories along the side and the fact that there are rules for posting that are listed. It actually seems to be a very kid-friendly site as well. Things are very well organized.

What do you guys think?

Thing #5

Read two or three of the perspectives from the list above.
2. Create a blog post on your reactions and thoughts regarding the articles you chose. In your post, make sure you include the answers to these questions:
What does "School 2.0" or "Library 2.0" mean to you?
What does it mean for schools and libraries of the future?

I read Wikpedia, Web 2.0 A guide for Educators and, Web 2.0 is the future of Education.

The articles are good and inofrmative, but I can't help worrying about those low SES kids who don't have access to the internet at home. Also, when I considered the idea that they could use it at school, I remembered that almost all forms of discussion boards are blocked by the school firewalls. How then can students read/write/edit the content of the web in these discussion boards?

School 2.0 is a good idea in theory, but how are we as a district and for that matter, as a state and country to fund the hundreds of thousands of dollars that it would take to enable students access to the read/write/edit world we are expecting of them?

I can see all the potential that the School 2.0 offers. I can envision 180 days of discovery lessons where my students discover for themselves the many facets of history. I cannot see where they are supposed to be able to create this content.

I recognize that parents often have access to e-mail through work, but that doesn't mean they have computers at home. Many of my students rely on school computers to do any research, but they would not be able to participate in discussion boards. I have a hard time envisioning the district providing enough server space for them to create and host their own websites.

I warned you in my Thing 1 post that I'm very good at seeing obstacles, but not that great at seeing ways around them. I see great things in the future of our students, but I can't get past the simple funding. Where is that money going to come from.

Thing 4

I was reading up on comments and I found that it really does make a huge difference. Several years ago, I was into message boards and blogs are very similar. I've looked at ictbailey's site and mimi's words of wisdom. I found that Mimi and I are thinking on the same lines. ictbailey introduced me to a new idea called flickr that I can't wait to explore. Sassy and I both had trouble with the avatar, but it's an interesting concept. Read and giggle has a great name for her blog, but I forgot to tell her. I t seems she had trouble with avatars, too. Good to know I'm not the only one. I really like things to the 23 power. Summer is excited and her excitement is contagious. Hope she has great success.

Since I haven't had a chance yet to do blogs off the site, I'll not comment on those yet. I will say commenting is a good way to get to know people. I already feel I've made connections to people just by reading their blog. I hope I come across as well organized and thoughtful as the others I've read. Now, off to unpack. I'll pick up with thing 5 tomorrow.

Have a blessed day!

Thing #2

Wow, creating the avatar was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'd like to have more options for the template for the blog. I thought this was an easy assignment. It could be very helpful with parent and student communication. I could create a blog, give the address to parents and students at the beginning of the year and make it easy to communicate the classroom activities, homework assignments. I'm already figuring out what I can do to work with the kids.

The avatar I chose reflects me because I have just purchased a new house and am in the process of moving. I'm setting everything up. I could only do one cat though, and I have four. Oh well, I guess you can't have everything.

Avatar

Thing # 1

I enjoyed listening to the slideshow on seven and one half habits for life long learning. I think the thing that I find is most dfficult for me is remembering to be confident in myself and in what I'm learning. The easiest part is setting goals. I'm too good at looking at obstacles, but I sometimes have trouble finding ways around the obstacles. I was disappointed that I couldn't seem to download the attachments for writing the contract and the seven and one-half habits.

I have always thought that one of my most important jobs as a teacher is to create life long learners. I think I'd like to show this slideshow to my students during the first week of school to go through everything.

If someone could possibly e-mail me the attachments that went with the slideshow, I would appreciate it.

Introduction

Hey, Y'all! I'm going to be using this blog to record my thoughts and ideas about Learning 2.0 23 Things. But before that, I thought I should tell you a little about me.

I'm a history teacher at AMS in MISD. I've been teaching for 13 years. I'm always fascinated by any new technology I can learn. I'm excited about 23 new things I might be able to use with my kids.