One Last Thing...

I am sure that one can easily guess which "things" are my favorite. In case you can't, here they are: Animoto, Google Calendar, and iGoogle. I enjoyed these because they are things that I can use in my daily Internet use. These "things" were fun, and did not seem like "work".

This class did serve as an inspiration for me to continue learning and staying "in tune" with the things that interest my students. I no longer feel completely clueless. I cannot wait to share all the new information with my students!!

I would love to participate with another program like this, given that it is in the summer or some other time when I actually have the time to sit down and work. Keeping up with this program will not be too difficult for me. I feel like I have put so much time and effort into making this something I will be proud of, and I do not want to feel like it was all a waste. When you really work hard at something, you want to make sure it lasts.

Every time I log on to my computer my iGoogle homepage appears as a constant reminder of some of the things I learned in this class. I feel more connected with what interest my students, and more competent in the technology world. Overall, this was a great experience!

Photo By Imagechef.com

Thing # 23 - Creative Commons

I was not able to understand the video from YouTube very well, however, it was very cute and entertaining (although the switching of voices gave me a small headache!) Instead, I researched the topic further from googling and reading other articles to gain insight on what this "thing" is about.


"23 Things" is based on the Learning 2.0 program which is adapted from the 43 Things I (or You) might want to do this year and 43 Things. 43 Things is a social networking site where users establish accounts and then share lists of goals (among other things).

Being an educator, I have always known the importance of giving credit for the work one uses. The idea behind Creative Commons, that of reworking things so that they are adaptable to a specific task, puts a new spin on it in a way. This is defiantly something that should be shared with the students!

Thing #22 - Podcasts: no iPod needed!

I listened to the podcast titled "MUSC General Health and Wellness Podcast." I chose this podcast because I am constantly trying to learn new and creative ways to improve my health. I chose the "educational podcast directory" because the formatting is easily identifiable, and the title sounded like it would have interesting topics to chose from. I did subscribe to this pod cast, and hope to listen to more in the future. I cannot believe how many different topics there are! There is literally something for everyone.

I think the podcast idea can be easily adapted for use in the classroom. Not only making them, but listening to them as well. We can look up any topic we are studying and listen to a podcast on that subject. It is something new for the students, and easier to understand than a lengthy article.

Picture from: http://www.arsgeek.com

Thing #21- Animoto=So Cool!

This site is one of my favorites so far! It is not only fun, but also keeps you entertained for hours. I also think it is cool that one can link his pictures from facebook so that you don't have to keep looking for the same pictures over and over. Too bad the clip only lasts 30 seconds (otherwise you have to pay). This is a cute gift idea for anyone to make for friends and family. The site is user friendly and never makes the same clip twice!

Thing #20- You too can YouTube

I was excited to learn more about YouTube at first, but now thirty minutes into it, I do not think it is anything I will look at after this assignment. What is the point? I can see where instructional videos and things can be helpful, but it seems like there is a ton of mess to sift through. There are some gross things, some weird things, and some things I wish I had not found. I also do not have enough time to sit and search, sit and search, until I finally find a video worth watching. Overall, I am not impressed.




This is one of my favorite videos. I chose it because it is funny :] Although I am not a huge fan myself, I can see how YouTube can be helpful to schools. One can post instructional videos and things of that sort.

Thing #19- Beyond MySpace: other social networks

Other than the Facebook and Gather accounts I joined, I also created an account with Shelfari. I chose this service because I enjoy reading and thought this might be a good way to find out about interesting books I can consider reading this summer.

I intend on using this site even when this class is over. I do not know anyone else who has an account, but that does not mean I can not visit other people's "shelf" to see what they say. I will probably not be using it for socializing purposes, more for learning about what's new and appealing.

College 2.0 sounded interesting because I have a daughter in college and thought she might enjoy this site. I tried to explore it further, but I was not sure of it's point. I think she will probably just stick to facebook for now.

As for the first part of this assignment, I decided to add the "23 Thingsters" badge and countdown widget.

Thing #18- Explore social networking

My Link
YES! I am so glad facebook made it as one of the "things" we are exploring. My kids are constantly referring to this site, posting pictures, and communicating with other people.I am proud to say that I have now jumped on the bandwagon myself. I was surprised to see how many other adults have also created accounts. I remember back before 2006 when my daughter first heard about this site. Back then, though, it was only for college students. I enlisted my daughter to tutor me on this program and almost feel like a pro now.

I prefer facebook to myspace hands down. Myspace is no longer just people, but stores, music groups, companies...With all of that going on, I received alot of spam. Facebook, on the other hand, does not send me adds, promotions, and things of that nature. It is simply messages from the people I have added to my "friends" list.

It is important for educators to know about social networking because it is a link to today's youth. It is their pastime, and not knowing about that, can mean you really don't know about them. To be relevant in what is going on, one must be aware of what is popular to the age group he is working with. Other than that,it is a ton of fun! It is a fast way to communicate with those one cannot see on a daily basis.
picture by http://libizblog.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/facebook.jpg