Is it the end.. or only the beginning?

I have enjoyed this journey through 23 things so much! It is amazing to look back now and remember all the things I have learned from 23 things this semester. My favorite new resources were diigo, LiveBinder, the mental map sites, Twitter, Flickr, and animoto. I also love that 23 things taught me that some of the tools I had already been using could be used in the classroom such as Facebook, Youtube, and Skype. Before this class, I may not have used much technology in my classroom, purely because I didn't know much. Now, I will definitely use technology as much as I can. I will fit it into my classroom any time it is possible. Technology is no longer the scary word it used to be.. I've learned it can be fun and even convenient!

Thing #23

http://plcmcl2-about.blogspot.com/

This is another variation of 23 Things which shows me that this is a program that was not originally created for this class by the APSU Education Department, but instead is a program that has been modified and used for several different people and places.

I enjoyed learning about Creative Commons. It is important for teachers to know the copyright laws and follow them. Not only is it the right thing to do, it also sets a good example for our students. I will definitely use Creative Commons because it will give me a group of images, videos, and sources that I know are okay to use in my classroom.

Thing #22

I really enjoyed using LiveBinders, but I will have to play with it a little more before I fully grasp it. I like being able store several websites together in categories. That could be very useful in the classroom. I chose to create 3 binders. One is titled "Education at APSU" and it is for sites that I have learned about that will be useful for lesson plans and ideas for my classroom. Another is titled "23 things" and I used it to store some of the interesting sites I learned about while doing my 23 things so that I can use them in the future. My final binder is titled "School stuff" and it is a few different sites I use regularly for school such as the google website my reading professor created for our class. Here is my 23 things binder:

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=376984


I would use this in the classroom several ways. For example, I could have personal binders to help me keep up with lesson plans, schedules, and sites that can improve a lesson. I could then have public binders for the students to use as resources for websites and projects.

Thing #21

I loved using animoto! This was really fun! I wish I had known about this before! I think I might even buy the full version just so I can make longer videos! I made a slideshow of pictures of my daughter. She is three and a half. Honestly, making the video was a little sad.. I had forgotten how small she used to be! I wish I could have made a longer video because this one is rushed. It was really easy to make it, though. I just used the music and layouts they already had. I'm proud of my video.. here it is!


Lilyan Grace

Thing #19

 I really enjoyed using Teacher Pop. It reminds me of Facebook, except that it is for teachers only. This makes it a great resource to learn about upcoming events, to relate to others who are going through the same process I am, and to get ideas. Here is a link to my Teacher Pop, where I have uploaded some photos:

http://teacherpop.ning.com/profile/ElizabethThomas

This was really fun!! The only other social networking sites I use are Facebook and Twitter. I will definitely continue to use Teacher Pop. I can use it for the things I mentioned above and also to keep in touch with those who I have or have had classes with! I tried to upload my badge, but the link would not work.

Thing #20

I enjoy Youtube. I use it quite frequently to find funny videos, or music for my three year old.
I even use it for information sometimes. It is a great resource. I could see myself using Youtube for instructional videos or for fun songs for the students. I could also post videos for the students for extra help. I found this video that has second grade sight words. This looked like something great to use in a classroom. If I had children who were having trouble with their sight words, they could go to the computer individually with headphones and listen and repeat the words. I could see where Youtube might get someone in trouble if they aren't careful. Some things on Youtube are copyrighted and shouldn't have been posted. If a teacher used one of these, she could get into trouble with the person who owns the video.

Thing #18

I currently have both facebook and twitter. I have actually had facebook since 2005. When I joined, you had to be a college student to be eligible for a page! When I tell people that, they usually have no idea it used to be like that. I sometimes can't believe how different it has become! I just recently signed up for twitter. I didn't have one until a few months ago. I prefer facebook, that's where I connect with friends and family. My twitter is more to keep up with celebrity gossip and my favorite shows. Here is a link to my facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/414831745198002/420510154630161/?notif_t=group_activity#!/lilysmommy009

I think social networking sites could be great resources for classrooms. In the past, I have had professors who set up facebooks or myspaces for our class. This way, if we needed help with assignments or anything we could post questions and help each other. I think it is important for educators to know about social networking sites and how they work because they could be used as great resources but only if they are used by people who know what they are doing. Personal information should be kept private. Privacy settings must be kept a certain way so that no personal information is public.

Thing #17

I really enjoyed using Delicious.com! I never knew things like this existed! I can see myself using this right now for research papers. I can tag websites I think will be useful instead of having to print everything. I can access the sites anywhere on any computer. I can also see this being great for a classroom. My students can use Delicious or sites like it to tag sites that have been helpful for them and other students can see the websites and use them as well. I could also access the sites the children are looking at and leave comments to give them insight on the information they are looking at. I am excited to use these sites!!

Thing #16

I used the iGoogle starter page. It appealed to me because I already use Google for so many other things and I can link them all to this page. I do plan to make this my home page because it will help me stay more focused by arranging it so that all the important stuff is organized in one spot. Here is my page:

http://www.google.com/ig

I used 30 boxes for my calendar. I really liked being able to schedule out my month. I plan to continue to use this! My life is very busy with a baby coming, keeping up with my little girl's school events, and we are remodeling a house which we plan to move to in a couple of weeks. I could use a little organization!
Here is my calendar:

http://30boxes.com/widget/8407319/ElizabethThomas/ccb777b88dd0fc72103d8d590c0a368b/0/

I used tada lists for my to do list. It was awesome! I really love making to do lists for everything. I have to do lists everywhere at my house! I can use this site and I won't have to use so much paper! This is an amazing tool. Here is a link to my to do list:
https://bamamama86.tadalist.com/lists/2177375/public

I would recommend any of these tools to my friends. I really think they could be extremely helpful. I also think they would be great for the classroom. I could post to do lists for projects for my kids. That way they have a step by step list of things to do. I could post calendars for them to keep up with due dates, special events, and quizzes. Parents could have access to the same calendars and to do lists so that they can keep up with what their children should be doing. These are great tools!!

Thing #15

Working with wikis is really fun! I can see how they could be used in the classroom for homework assignments, discussions, quick notes, or discussions. They are really good to use because they are full of quick little notes. Wikis are good for information and for discussions. I liked looking at the Book lovers Wiki. I could see how something like that could be used for a reading class. The children could post their book talks on a wiki and other students could go into the wiki and edit parts or add parts they liked about the books. This would be great because it wouldn't take up class time and it would be great information for the students.

Thing #14

I have to say I had forgotten how useful and fun brainstorming can be!! I am very excited to use these tools. I used bubbl.us and Gliffy. Both of these seem like wonderful tools!! Either one seems like a great tool to use when brainstorming. Flow charts are more formal and are useful when the plan is meant to be shown to others. It is easier for others to read because it follows a basic format. Mind maps are more useful for the author. They are better for things that aren't meant to be seen by others. Either of these is great. With flow charts, you can map out a plan and then share it with others to get their input. Because flow charts have a formal layout, they are easier to understand for audiences. Mind maps are more for the author. They are nice to use because the author can let his or her mind flow without worrying about making the map easy for others to understand. The author can shorten sentences, use abbreviations, and not worry with making a key. I really enjoyed using these tools.

Thing #13

Let me start by saying I am amazed that I didn't know these tools existed. They are amazing. I love the fact that with both Zoho and Google Docs, you can share your documents with others and they can comment on them. I have done many group projects where I had to send emails back and forth with attachments of the documents we were making. With either of these tools, group projects could be done so much faster and more conveniently. I have to say I personally prefer Zoho. It seemed like you could do much more with a document on Zoho. Google Docs basically gives you the same thing Microsoft Word does, only it is online and you can leave comments and share it with others. With Zoho, you can add watermarks, you can add the author's name, you can add emoticons, and it is simple to use. It even gives you step by step instructions the first time you use it. I could see this as being an excellent tool for the classroom. A teacher could have students write papers or drafts on Zoho and then she could review it and add comments for them to see. Also, as I mentioned before, it would be awesome to use for group projects. It would also be great for blogs. I'm really glad I learned about these tools!! Here are the links to the documents I created:

Google docs-- https://docs.google.com/document/d/18BQqSr1Wqp3ptmjPZUq00hW-Top6Y5bvyjJxzV3Ilck/edit

Zoho-- <script src="https://writer.zoho.com/public/ca7b403bccb3a2bfa62671f9133db9f6077dfa6cb09d9c8b8073c78ecae72b1fc290e8ef4aee3d02/script"></script>

Thing #12

I chose the Google calendar because I think it is an awesome way to keep up with my schedule and it is also a very handy tool. I can use it in my classroom to show parents what we are studying in class, what our lessons are, and what school events are coming up. They could also use it to schedule appointments with me with they think it is necessary. This is an awesome tool!!
https://www.google.com/calendar/b/0/render?gsessionid=OK

Next, I chose igoogle. This is also a very good tool. I can use it to show parents and students links to things that will help them understand concepts we are learning about and I can use it to showcase many gadgets and tools that they might enjoy.
http://www.google.com/ig

Thing #11

I really enjoyed reading the blog by Cool Cat Teacher. She made sense in how she told you not to add just anyone and to add people you know, then people they know and so on. I liked using Google blog search the most. I found one blog called positive-parenting.org. I like it because it talks about struggles in raising toddlers and beyond. It helps to know what has worked for others. I also like elementaryteacher.blogspot.com. I didn't really find any that I didn't like.

Thing #10

I like RSS readers because it gives you everything in one spot. You don't have to search for it. I can use this in my personal life by subscribing to posts I like and reading them daily without having to waste time trying to find them. Teachers can use this to keep up with classroom ideas and could even share their lists with students and teachers.

Thing #9

http://www.spiffytext.com

http://cooltext.com

I found several text generators and they were fairly simple to  use. I had lots of fun with them. I liked the different backgrounds and texts that could be used. I think these could be really fun for children to use in class. They could use these generators for projects, they could have fun being extra creative with the lettering and things. This would be a lot of fun.

Thing #7

I enjoyed looking through Flickr. I had never used it before so it was quite an experience. I will use it in the future as it has many good pictures. The pictures on Flickr can be silly, educational, or uplifting. I did not know I was missing out on such a great site!!

The picture I chose is beautiful. It is said to represent the American Dream. A gentleman took it of a flower in his wife's garden and you can see the American flag in the background. It really is a good picture. The angle he shot it from is amazing. His name is kippbakr. Here is the link to the picture:




http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrpixure/4366434435/

Thing #6

http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/home

I chose to blog about skype.com. This is a website I had heard of, but I had never really gone and checked it out. I have a new laptop which has a webcam and I honestly bought one with a webcam so that I could use it to call my best friend on Skype. She recently moved to Florida and we have been friends for a long time, so we thought Skype could ease the pain of being separated. I still had not checked it out because with school and work I haven't had the chance. When I saw that it was listed on the top 100 for this assignment, I thought "here is my excuse to finally sit down and see what this site is all about." I never realized how easy and useful it would be! I love that I can use it to call someone on video using my webcam. I can also use it to chat with someone or to call someone without the webcam. It is also nice that long distance calls are free. The whole service is free from what I can tell. I think it could definitely be used in a classroom. If a child is ill or has to miss school for some reason, the teacher could get on Skype while he or she is teaching and the child could watch from home. Also, it could be used to video conference with the whole class after school hours. It also could be used to have conferences with parents. I know all of this could possibly be done on the phone, but with Skype, it feels like you are there with that person because you can see them. The only drawbacks are that some parents will not have computers or webcams. Also, if your webcam is poor quality, I noticed it can start to freeze up at times.

Thing 5

Web 2.0 describes people learning to use the internet and technology in a way that enhances everyday life. The internet can be used for learning new things, making things easier, or just for pure enjoyment. To schools, this means using technology to enhance lessons and get children excited to learn. It also means using technology to enhance school lessons and to get things done more quickly so that more things can be done in one day.

Thing 4

I think commenting creates a sense of community because it is like a continuing conversation. You can also learn things from a blog that you may not otherwise learn because blogs are open to so many people in so many different places. If people comment back and forth, it can be a learning experience for all who are involved. In the readings about commenting, I read that one important reason to blog is to let the blogger know you read their blog. If nobody comments, the blogger feels like they are writing to themselves. That's not fun for anyone. If you really enjoy someones blog, you can let them know by commenting. I also read that when you make a comment, it isn't supportive to just say "good job" or "I like what you said." Instead you should say why you liked it and what specifically you agreed with. I chose to comment on and follow the Cool Cat Teacher Blog at http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2012/01/spoon-chucking-our-life-and-learning.html#disqus_thread and Creating Lifelong Learners blog at http://creatinglifelonglearners.com/?p=989#comments. I commented on them because I especially enjoyed reading those blogs. In our class, I commented on Cortne Hunt's "Thing 3", Ashton Kearns' "Thing 1", and Rachel Jones' "Thing 4."

Thing #3

I would love to use blogging in the future for my students! I would use blogging to let parents know what is being discussed in class, what events are coming up, and what they can do to help their children at home. I would also use blogging to continue class discussions outside of the classroom. I could post questions and allow the children to debate and discuss things. It would also be nice to use blogs to tell other teachers what has worked for me and what has not. I could tell other teachers tips I have picked up along the way. A blog would also be great for personal reasons. I could look back on past years and remember projects that were successful, or learn from projects that weren't. I could also remember special memories with my students. I never really knew what a great resource blogging could be!!

Thing #2

I really enjoyed creating my blog. I liked making it reflect my personality with the templae and avatar. I titled my blog "Elizabeth Thomas' 23 Things" because it is simple and will let my professor know which blog is mine. I chose my URL to be "rolltidemama" because I am a big Alabama fan and a mother of one and soon to be a mother of one more. I wanted it to be "rolltideteacher" but that was already taken! My avatar looks like me.. or it looks about as close as I could get. Creating the blog was fairly easy. I was overwhelmed when I saw all the steps, but they turned out to be much easier than I thought. The avatar was simple as well.  I am quite picky, though, so that part took a little more time. I am really proud of my avatar and my blog. I feel that they reflect my personality.

Thing #1

The lifelong learning habit that is probably hardest for me is number 1, setting goals. I often don't think far enough into the future to set goals. I live too much in the present. I know that's bad, because that is a very important part of life. My problem is that when I set long term goals, I give up easily when they aren't accomplished as soon as I want them to be. I am very impatient and I want things to happen immediately and life doesn't work that way. The lifelong learning habit that is easiest for me is to play. I used to forget to do this, but when my daughter was born, that changed. She is three years old now and she is always asking me, "Mama, will you play with me?" I almost never turn her down. She loves to play pretend. She reminds me not to take myself so seriously.

I hope to learn many things by doing these 23 things. I hope to learn many tools that will help me with my students in the future. I have two computers in my home and I use them regularly, but not usually for educational purposes. I am so happy to learn about new tools that I can use and have fun with!!

Setting up the blog was not difficult. It was actually fun once I knew what to do. I have to admit I was a bit overwhelmed at first, but the directions were very clear and I was amazed at how easy it was. I am proud of my blog!