Thing Six

 Dropbox is an emerging technology that I like. I had the opportunity to use this in a classroom setting and love it. I put files that I am working on at home in it and when I get to school I can access the files from any computer. I was able to share the file with a teacher and a friend to collaborate with them. This site will be useful for class activities because you can prepare at home and not have to carry your personal computer around or keep up with a jump drive to continue a project or use it in another location.  Here is the link if you want to check it out. http://www.dropbox.com/ It is free for the first 250mb of data, if you need more space you can pay for it and they have recently introduced a phone app too.

Thing Five

School 2.0 for me is a way to describe the way all the new and exciting technology can be used to improve activities in the classroom. There are smart boards that can be used interactively with the kids and they really enjoy this. During one of my observations I witness a teacher using a smart board in a daily lesson and the kids were always so eager to participate. It is also a way for teacher to collaborate with one another on activities. The internet is building a wealth of knowledge that anyone can access. It can assist in our effort to become the best teacher possible weather it is with lesson plans or discipline problems. The answers are out there somewhere to help you out.  

School 2.0 is continuing to push our futures towards technology. When I was a child, computers in the school were rare. It is now standard for every classroom to have at least one computer. Many schools have computer class starting in the elementary grades. My daughter who is seven has attended a computer class every year since she started school. I’ve also heard of a pilot program where the school was going to issue computers preloaded with their books to their entire class instead of actual books. This sounds costly to me, but I’m afraid that computers are replacing books, also.

Thing Four

Commenting on someone’s blogs is a way for you to introduce yourself to someone whose blog has inspired or provided you with meaningful information. It could help you develop friendships and allows you to offer your own personal experiences and expertise in a subject. I personally have a hard time putting myself out there and posting how I feel for the world to see. I think it takes a special kind of person to be able to make meaningful blogs that can attract the attention of people all over the world. I have definitely seen some that are worth following if for nothing else for the humorous content; like in Crappypictures.com. This blog has kept many in our class laughing for hours, especially the parents.

One thing that I think would be important for someone who blogs regularly would be meaningful comments. This is not only a means of voicing your opinion but also provides the writer of the blog with feedback. Feedback can provide the writers with a direction for the next post and the inspiration to continue on their blogging path. Another important thing to remember when making comments is to keep it respectful, negative, cruel, and foul language is unnecessary and unproductive. Disagree if necessary but do it in a respectful manner.

To be cont…

Thing Three

Blogs are a nice tool that can be used in many ways. For my classroom, I think I would like to use one for the kids and/or their parents to voice their opinions on activities that we do in the classroom. I think it would provide a wonderful insight into how the children and their parents feel about the quality/quantity of work that is assigned. It would also give them practice with writing. It would be interesting to let student suggest assignments on topics and maybe pick one a week that a student has suggested to give them a say in the type of work that they have to do. I think that kids are fascinated with computer and electronics and any assignment that you give them which allowed them to work on computers and voice their opinions would be welcomed.

There were a lot of great ideas on “Edublog Insights” for teachers to collaborate on projects or to get new ideas for assignments. The list was endless and I’m not sure if what I have picked was on their or not but there is obviously many different ways that a blog can be a valuable tool for teachers, students, and parents.

Thing Two

For my blogger name I used my real name, I ‘m not going to post anything that I would be ashamed to put my name on. I think it makes it more realistic and personal. It is a way for our classmates to get to know us, how we think and feel. For the name of the blog, I don’t think quickly on my feet and I just used the name of the assignment while setting it up in class. Maybe I will change it as I get more familiar with the class and program.  

I did not find setting up the blog to be difficult. It could have been confusing but since were doing it together as a class it was not. I am looking forward to learning about all these interesting things we can do on the computer. Just wish it was not a mac, I may have to upgrade. I've already seen several things, such as, screenshot and photo booth that I really like.

My avatar does not reflect much of personality. I was trying to hurry for my next class and did not see many things that really reflect who I am.  I would need to have three kids tied to my hips for it to really represent me. I will probably change it up a bit in the future.

Thing One

While reading through the “7 ½ Habit of Successful Learners”, I was intrigued by a few of them. The first one that stated “Begin with the end in Mind” would probably be the hardest for me to accomplish because I do not plan ahead for anything. I always know which way I want things to go but I’m a realist that knows “that things never go as planned”. In general I like to have a plan but I realize that you have to be prepared to deviate from your plan and move forward.

However, I am a strong believer in the second habit that states “Accept Responsibility for your own learning”.  I believe that each person controls their own destiny and their own lives. Once you are adults there is no one to blame for your actions, faults or disappointment but yourself. So, if your struggling with something, seek help there is always someone willing and able to help out a friend in need.