What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey? I have enjoyed almost every moment of the class. I love that I took (am taking) the course with friends! It made the journey more fun and more meaningful! I think that I have enjoyed actually learning how to blog and getting the opportunity to do it! I would love to start my own blog for parents! That is my goal for next year! :-) Here it is in my beginning stages...
Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you? I have been surprised at how easy most of the applications have been to use. Oh yes, I've been frustrated and aggravated at times, but overall, most of the apps have been pretty user friendly!
What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept? I have loved the self-paced class! The videos by Lee LeFever have been outstanding and so helpful for understanding the purpose, role and function of each of the applications. Thank you for implementing those videos each lesson!
If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate? ABSOLUTELY!!! I have learned so much and feel like I'm actually on the cutting edge of technology once again! (It's been a long time since I've been there!)
How will what you have learned influence your practice as an administrator? Well, I am now addicted to my reader! I love to get new comments on my blog posts. I will definitely use them both. I will honestly try to give Ning a second chance and a little more time to see if I can make it work for me!
How do you plan to keep up with new developments in web 2.0? Recommend a way that you have found to be useful. I'm hoping that you guys will offer a "the NEXT 23 things" for us! I don't know that I have the time to go out and explore new applications without a reason! I am not even sure how I would begin. I found about many of the things in this class from my mom the librarian! Maybe she can keep me posted on the new and happening things! (My school librarian does a pretty good job at that, too!) I guess my plan? Depend on other people....
Monday, April 13, 2009
Thing #24
Visit 23 Thingsters
I've joined Ning - as two different AJ Murry's! I wish I could figure out how to delete the profile with the wrong email address! I've searched for hours! I don't think that Ning is nearly as user friendly as some other apps we've learned about in our course. I did add a discussion question for us, though - some of you may kill me for even suggesting the discussion - but make your comment anyway!
Anyway - I think this is a great tool for sharing ideas and communicating with others. I can see using this with my staff instead of my Monday Memo that I occasionally forget to write or change dates on! I love that you can create a page that is private so that only your students or members of your choice can see. Making it private certainly allows you the freedom to use it with kids!
I did join a group as called Education Leadership. I think it will be fun to follow along with the group as they discuss the state assessments in different states (that is the current discussion!)
Thanks for the opportunity to learn about another new and useful tool!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thing #22
I have a very dear friend, who shall remain nameless, with whom I have a disagreement that arises every now and then. The argument? Namely - Facebook! Now my friend would argue that this is a dangerous place to "be" in the cyberworld - predators, mean people, ugliness, you name it - he thinks it's there. While visiting his home a few weeks ago, I introduced he and his wife to Facebook. And the reason you ask? To find his friend! He had lost touch with a friend from the past and wanted to see if they were on Facebook so that he could make contact again! Well, his friend wasn't there, but his friend's daughter was, and so the social connection was established. I contacted daughter ---> who contacted dad ---> who contacted me ---> who gave information back to my friend! Ahah! The epitomy of a social network!
Work applications for Facebook? Oh my - I have met so many prinicipals and educational leaders, found friends who have the same position I hold in a far away place, have been able to follow the legislature and educational PACs, all from Facebook! So many times, especially in a place of leadership, we feel very lonely, unconnected and often time disassociated from people because there is only one of us in a building - this has been solved through social networking.
Now, as educators, I would argue that we MUST "be" on these networks. There are some bad things that go on with our kids on these networks, but as "friends" on the network, we can monitor so much and discover so much about our kids - it is our responsibility as parents and teachers to help our students learn the safety and caution that is needed in these enviornments!
I've had an account for a while, so here is the link to my profile. I'm not sure you can see me unless I'm your friend - so invite me to be your friend... Vikingman, I'll be waiting!
Work applications for Facebook? Oh my - I have met so many prinicipals and educational leaders, found friends who have the same position I hold in a far away place, have been able to follow the legislature and educational PACs, all from Facebook! So many times, especially in a place of leadership, we feel very lonely, unconnected and often time disassociated from people because there is only one of us in a building - this has been solved through social networking.
Now, as educators, I would argue that we MUST "be" on these networks. There are some bad things that go on with our kids on these networks, but as "friends" on the network, we can monitor so much and discover so much about our kids - it is our responsibility as parents and teachers to help our students learn the safety and caution that is needed in these enviornments!
I've had an account for a while, so here is the link to my profile. I'm not sure you can see me unless I'm your friend - so invite me to be your friend... Vikingman, I'll be waiting!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Thing #7b
I've been waiting to share this blog with you! As a principal, I hear so often that learning isn't fun anymore and that we are drilling and killing our kids to death. I always feel the urgency to try to defend drilling to some degree. Why is that? Is it because it worked for me? Is it because it's a lesson I learned in sports? This blog entry is a thought provoking argument for drilling students! I guess that sometimes those of us that grew up under the influence of coaches and sports teams tend to view the world in a different light. I thought this blog entry about Pete Maravich summed up what I'm sometimes afraid to say for fear of being hit with blunt objects by my friends!
(Friends - remember that blogging is a place to post OPINIONS). I'm just thinking in type! :-) Feel free to disagree. I'm sure many of you will! I hope we can still be cyberfriends!
(Friends - remember that blogging is a place to post OPINIONS). I'm just thinking in type! :-) Feel free to disagree. I'm sure many of you will! I hope we can still be cyberfriends!
Thing #21
Google has a ton to offer, doesn't it? Who knew?
I explored the iGoogle page. I tried to link it, but unless you log in as me, you can't see it! Sorry!
I had fun choosing all sorts of apps to put on the page. School uses could be really limitless. There is a countdown app. Teachers could count down until the TAKS test, count down until turning in a foss kit, countdown so many things! I added a virtual ladybug that follows me everywhere on the screen - she was cute and made me smile! I added the weather - there was a temperature, air quality and heat index - information that my PE teachers could always use! There were top stories of the day, words of the day, clean jokes of the day, all sorts of unique tools that teachers could use.
Google Labs was neat. Did you know that there is a google tool to find the most searched items of the day? I thought that was neat. It is interesting to see how many searches were done for particular things... made me want to search them to find out why...
Google Labs also had a search tool for finding "words/phrases" used in videos. That might be helpful for a teacher searching how to teach something or wanting a video clip to demonstrate something.
All in all, Google Tools are really cool. I could use them for hours and never run out of fun things to explore!
I explored the iGoogle page. I tried to link it, but unless you log in as me, you can't see it! Sorry!
I had fun choosing all sorts of apps to put on the page. School uses could be really limitless. There is a countdown app. Teachers could count down until the TAKS test, count down until turning in a foss kit, countdown so many things! I added a virtual ladybug that follows me everywhere on the screen - she was cute and made me smile! I added the weather - there was a temperature, air quality and heat index - information that my PE teachers could always use! There were top stories of the day, words of the day, clean jokes of the day, all sorts of unique tools that teachers could use.
Google Labs was neat. Did you know that there is a google tool to find the most searched items of the day? I thought that was neat. It is interesting to see how many searches were done for particular things... made me want to search them to find out why...
Google Labs also had a search tool for finding "words/phrases" used in videos. That might be helpful for a teacher searching how to teach something or wanting a video clip to demonstrate something.
All in all, Google Tools are really cool. I could use them for hours and never run out of fun things to explore!
Thing #20
I love Google Docs! I took a course with Richard Armand showing us many, many, many uses for the GoogleDocs. I have already started using them for some word processing things, like our Kindergarten Handout - allowing the kindergarten teachers to make changes and the secretary to be able to print it out.
I have a google form set up so that teachers can input their summer address, phone number and other contact information. It is so much easier to have them type their information instead of me transferring it all to a spreadsheet. (More accurate too!)
I have not used the Google Presentations yet, but if all works out where I get accepted to the ASCD national conference next year, my partner and I will work on the presentation each from our computer and make the presentation complete without having to download a single thing! Woohoo! Can't wait!
I know that teachers could use this with students working on documents together, group work has been given a whole new framework as well! We can see the contributions from each student! No more guessing who did what! It is pretty amazing stuff!
PS - all my friends are welcome to add to the document for closing down the school year! I think it will be great to keep this document available for us to work on together - and techsploringprinicipal won't even have to retype or cut and paste a single thing!
I have a google form set up so that teachers can input their summer address, phone number and other contact information. It is so much easier to have them type their information instead of me transferring it all to a spreadsheet. (More accurate too!)
I have not used the Google Presentations yet, but if all works out where I get accepted to the ASCD national conference next year, my partner and I will work on the presentation each from our computer and make the presentation complete without having to download a single thing! Woohoo! Can't wait!
I know that teachers could use this with students working on documents together, group work has been given a whole new framework as well! We can see the contributions from each student! No more guessing who did what! It is pretty amazing stuff!
PS - all my friends are welcome to add to the document for closing down the school year! I think it will be great to keep this document available for us to work on together - and techsploringprinicipal won't even have to retype or cut and paste a single thing!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Thing #19
Voice threads are very cool and have immense potential. I have seen them used in some trainings such as the Sexual Harassment Video at TAMU-C and their other trainings that they require all professors to partake in. Voice threads do allow you to present your powerpoint or other video with a voice and that in itself is very cool. However, I am a little too impatient for some of the videos - I can read it faster than the narrator speaks it and therefore, I rush through. Could be a pitfal if the information were super critical! I'm going to keep searching for some voice threads that I could use in my position - perhaps "how to" voice threads on presenting certain concepts in science or math that teachers could view BEFORE teaching it... possibilities are endless!
Thing #18
YouTube is an amazing resource! It is incredible what you can find on there! I took the challenge to find the four videos that our 23 Things coaches encouraged us to find.
The first two videos that I searched for were searching the WhyTry? Program that the district has just recently introduced us to. I am going to have the creator of WhyTry?, Christian Moore come and speak to my staff in July. However, I wanted to give them a tease of what might be coming, so I searched for Christian Moore and the WhyTry? Program! I found several videos that took snipits of Christian Moore's life story and explained the history behind the WhyTry? program. I am sending the link to my teachers. (although they can't watch it at school!)
Next, I found a video on how to blow dry your hair! Did you know there are so many ways to blow dry your hair? Who knew... but according to this young lady, there is one RIGHT way to do it! Maybe I'll try it tomorrow.
Lastly, I searched for the Miracle on Ice live call. You know, the video from the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics when the US beat Russia defying all the odds! It is such an awesome story! I was able to find the actual footage of the hockey game! Amazing!
YouTube can be so powerful for teachers and students. Scary sometimes, but powerful! I wish there were a better way to filter it so that our teachers could access it in the classrooms! TeacherTube was good as well, but certainly missed out on some of the more frivolous searches like the Miracle on Ice.
The first two videos that I searched for were searching the WhyTry? Program that the district has just recently introduced us to. I am going to have the creator of WhyTry?, Christian Moore come and speak to my staff in July. However, I wanted to give them a tease of what might be coming, so I searched for Christian Moore and the WhyTry? Program! I found several videos that took snipits of Christian Moore's life story and explained the history behind the WhyTry? program. I am sending the link to my teachers. (although they can't watch it at school!)
Next, I found a video on how to blow dry your hair! Did you know there are so many ways to blow dry your hair? Who knew... but according to this young lady, there is one RIGHT way to do it! Maybe I'll try it tomorrow.
Lastly, I searched for the Miracle on Ice live call. You know, the video from the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics when the US beat Russia defying all the odds! It is such an awesome story! I was able to find the actual footage of the hockey game! Amazing!
YouTube can be so powerful for teachers and students. Scary sometimes, but powerful! I wish there were a better way to filter it so that our teachers could access it in the classrooms! TeacherTube was good as well, but certainly missed out on some of the more frivolous searches like the Miracle on Ice.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Thing #17
PodCasting - I learned alot and even found some of my misunderstandings to be straightened out. I don't have an Ipod, so I just assumed that podcasting was something that I really could not do. While I found out that I could do podcasting without an Ipod, I don't really like the idea of being tied to my computer for hours on end listening to the various downloads. Maybe for Mother's Day - hmmm.... Okay so to address your questions:
- Which podcasts did you preview? I had been following a blog feed for Practical Prinicipals and noticed they had a weekly podcast, I decided to subscribe to it through Itunes to see what podcasting was all about.
- What did you think? I was surprised at how much the podcast was really just a conversation or discussion between the presenters. I guess I still had the old school idea of "shows" as being scripted or prepared ahead of time, maybe some of them are, but the several that I found were more like discussions - but they were useful and had some interesting and thought provoking discussions.
- Which directories did you search and were you able to find podcasts of value? I used Itunes and found several of the same podcasts that were suggested for us. I'll keep looking.
- Do you have any ideas about incorporating existing podcasts into your classroom or professional learning? Of course, I don't know how to make a podcast yet, I'm sure that I'll learn in a thing or two, but seeing how students can use this in their learning excites me. I envision that students could reflect on their learning, "teach" others what they've learned, participate in active discussions, the possibilities are endless. I'm pretty sure that one of my teachers has students creating podcasts, but I haven't actually watched them in action! I'll have to ask him where to find them out there in the great big www!
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