Thing #15 - Aviary

 

This is an incredible site that provides a host of production tools for both graphic creation and editing and audio.  It's everything the modern artist needs and IT'S FREE!

Aviary has created an education site that provides private teacher and student accounts. This is in the testing phase and they are looking for teachers to try it out and give honest feedback.

Please go to www.aviaryeducation.com to check it out.

Thing #14 - Flickr

I searched Flickr with the tag word "geography" using only the pictures that are allowed to be copied and found the one below.

Credit to: Roo Reynolds

Thing #13 - Image Generator

I am embedding a VoiceThread that I created for my WOW! project during the CISD WOW! 2010 Summer Academy.  To create this I used ToonDoo to create the cartoon.  I wanted to read the words so that students that might have difficulty reading could know what the point of the comic was.  So I saved my ToonDoo as a picture and then uploaded the ToonDoo into VoiceThread and read the comic.

I created this Toondoo to show how the tool could be used.  This comic was designed to demonstrate how physical features affect culture and the way people live.

ToonDoo Link

VoiceThread Link

 

Thing #12 - Mashups

I have to be honest and say that Flickr makes me very nervous. I've had too many circumstances where VERY inappropriate pictures have come up. I would rather set up a Picassa account and have chosen pictures for my students to view.

I do like the Mappr application that allows you to map the pictures. This would be a great tool to use in my history class. Or maybe show where all of my students are from.

Thing #11 - DimDim

I am interested in learning more about DimDim. It almost seems like this would work better for my class than even Skype. This seems like a great tool not only for using for students but actually using for teacher collaboration, meetings, etc...

Check out: www.dimdim.com

Thing #10 - Skype

I have a Skype account but have not used it very much. I just recently started using it due to a cherished friend that has been on my teaching team for the last five years being transferred to Singapore. It has allowed us to stay in better contact now that she is half way around the world.

Because our school is based on the looping model (we have the same students for two years) it would be awesome to keep this teacher involved in the kids learning and also assist me with historical geography from the perspective of where she is now.

My class also has a partnership with a Peace Corps volunteer in Albania. This would be a fantastic way for my students to "see" the Albanian students, our PC volunteer, etc....

Again, I've never seen it done, so I would love to see this in person.

One thing to keep in mind would be time changes. That does seem like it could lead to some interesting challenges.

Thing #9 - Facebook

I completely understand why our district bans us from being on Facebook with our students, however, it is also one of the best ways to reach them. The students are always on FB and most have access on their phones. It would allow creating a page for your class, giving students the ability to access their information and respond to class questions, get needed information, etc.... since most are already on there.

I can see that this could be an excellent tool, especialy secondary teachers and students.

Thing #8 - Twitter

I have used Twitter for some time. I have a personal account. I have a Twitter account set up for my classes to try and give students and parents one more tool for being kept up to date on important information.

I also started a Twitter account for Magnolia High School basketball. I use this as a way to keep fans that can't attend updated during games, with the score, etc...

I'm not sure how the back channeling would work for my classroom. Our school/district has a very strict policy about cell phones. Students are not allowed to have them anywhere except in their lockers and turned off. Also, we have such a limited number of computers. I'm also concerned that I have so many students that can't stay on task as it is, I'm not sure how I feel about adding one more possible distraction.

My church is using this to have people ask questions at the end of the service giving the pastor the ability to answer some of the questions that have been asked.

It is an interesting concept that I would love to actually see in action in a classroom so that I would have a better feel of how I could implement this.

Thing #7 - Wikis

I see that a wiki is a great way to allow students in my history classes to add vocabulary and important information they think would be important for others to know over a specific reading passage from our textbook.

Much of everything I currently do is incorporated into Moodle. It has so many wonderful areas without students having to go from place to place all over the web.

Thing #4 - Wordle and Animoto

I posted a Wordle in an earlier post that I created using Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.


Here is my first attempt of an Animoto that I created using pictures of my son in celebration of his high school graduation. It needs some work, but I understand the process now.

Thing #5 - Google Docs

Google Docs has been a terrific tool that I utilize on an almost daily basis with my students. It includes a word document program, a spread sheet program, and a presentation program.

I taught my students how to access the various Google Docs tools provided in partnership between Google and our school district. The students are able to work from both school and home without fear of losing a thumb drive or having it be damaged or incompatible with our computers. Also, because many of my students have divorced parents and shared residences, it allows them to access their information without worrying about whether each computer has the same program.

I also had students share their finished work with me which allowed them to "turn in" their work without having to print it out. Again, eliminating many of the excuses as to why I couldn't turn it in. The dog can no longer eat the homework, it doesn't matter if the printer is out of ink, etc....

On a personal note, I used the the Forms tool in creating an online invitation for my son's graduation party. I created the form as an invitation that allowed the recipiants to respond with their first and last names, whether or not they could attend, and how many would people in the family would be attending. The information was then updated in a spread sheet for me as each person responded.

I am sold on Google Docs!

Thing #6 - Glogster

I enjoy using Glogster to create some of my own things to share with my class. However, I have hit a few snags in the past that have made me hesitant to continue having my students personally use this tool.

The original tool had many inappropriate clip art items that were listed under the EDU version. There was an entire area designated as EMO. I personally was not aware as to the conotation of the word EMO but my 5th/6th graders quickly told me that EMOs were "cutters." Then the pictures were of blood splatters, etc...

Even though I introduced the students to the EDU only version - they were now introduced to the whole program. As soon as they got home, many went straight to the main Glogster website. There they were faced with many inappropriate pictures, language, content, etc....

Back in class - even though we put blocks on areas and I strictly stated that the students were not to upload their pictures, names, or personal info, guess what some did. I bet you guessed it. Even though we also had our designated class, students were still able to email outside of our class, the site, school, etc.... the glogs of classmates to outside parties who were then able to click on the glog find the creator and see the information of any other students that had commented.

I closed this application down for a long time. I have given it another chance though because it does seem that many of my past issues have been handled. It seems to be a much better site now and more appropriate to what we were first led to believe.

Please see my post: Glogster Example to see the glog that I created for my 5th grade U.S. History class.

Thing #1 - Learning 2.1

The online course that I am taking is Learning 2.1. Based on the information in the intro of the course it states that, "Learning 2.1 is an online learning program to help librarians and educators learn more about emerging technologies and how to incorporate these tools into libraries and classrooms and teacher collaboration."

Learning 2.1 - Attempt #2

I started a Learning 2.1 online course a very LONG time ago. (One of the reasons I love online learning is because you can go at your own pace. When life throws some unexpected obstacles and time stealers, you don't have to give up what you were doing, you just jump back in when you get the next opportunity.)

Well, here I am ready to jump back in the game.

However, I think since I originally started the course that there have been some revisions as to the lay out.

We are to label each area as Thing #? (Whatever number the assignment was for) The problem is that some of my past things are now numbered as something else.

I'll try to work this out as I go along.