MAC EDM613

A blogging we will go.... This blog page will serve has my hub for the 4 exciting weeks to come in month number 9. The course is entitled Media Asset Creation (MAC) and I am expected to blog on a weekly basis at least 4 to 5 times. This post will serve as a link for each set of blogs for the next 4 weeks individually. Simply click on the following links and you will be taken to the appropriate blog.

One Last Thing

I feel like singing "The Shining Moment", but I digress. I truly enjoyed this course and am already thinking of ways to implement the course concept in class using some e-learning platform. Going in, I was not sure how much I would get out of it being that I see much of this in my graduate courses. However, I learned a ton. I enjoyed all the tools especially the Voki, even though it's kind of creepy that my avatar follows me around my computer. Another thing I enjoyed was being cohersed into joining Classroom 2.0. I have already found some incredible tips on using technology in my classroom. I can't wait until next year. The only thing that bothered me regarding 23Things was my ability to manage my time with everything else going on around me. I feel that I would have been able to produce much more engaging projects if it were not for the lack of time. However, I finished and that is par for the course. Now, with me going to school for technology, it will be easy to keep up with what's going on, mainly because I subscribe to Go2web20.net via twitter and I'm a Facebook fan. Every single new Web2.0 tool that comes out goes through this channel and I'm floored each day, because there seems to be something new each day. Without my twitter, I would not be able to keep up.

Because I enjoy blogging, I don't see any issues with maintaining this blog. This blog will be my personal technology blog where I'll continue to put my ideas about the latest and greatest 2.0 chatter. Thanks 23Thingsters for the opportunity to stretch ourselves.

Thing #9 I've Got Sand in My Eyes

I'm starting to dig wikispaces! (No pun intended!) In completing my little sandbox area on the 23Things Wiki, I found myself still not much of an expert in navigating my way around. I had trouble with the table of content, and for me, that's pretty disappointing! However, I'm glad that this assignment presented a learning opportunity for me. Due to the lack of time, I was unable to make elaborate sand castles, but, a the right moment, I feel that I'll be able to take the wiki notion and do phenomenal things. My page name is Imaginebeingbetter... of course, mainly because I know that the wiki is not my strength yet, but if I keep on plugging away, it will be... because I imagined it to be so. My favorite part however, was the Voki... that was pretty cool. Everything else I've done before; embedding images, links, etc. However, that darn [toc], and I bet it is something simple to. Oh well, I'll figure it out.

Thing # 7b 1:1 Environments Keep the Ill Connected

Eliminating absences... what a concept. This article that I received in my Google Reader is one of the benefits of educating in 1:1 environments.

A little third grader, Ahmed Hamdi, is suffering from Lukemia, but is still able to go to school through the use of a laptop and livestream into his classroom at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia. Because Ahmed is homebound and can only go to school two days out of the week, having full access to the classroom without being in the classroom allows him to keep pace with his classmates. We had this situation in our school earlier this year, and through the use of a home computer, I was able to create some tutorial videos for our student, but nothing beats being able to be their in the way the Ahmed is. He is able to interact with his students through the computer webcam.

Thing #7a Oh There's Money Out There

As I continue to pursue my dreams of opening my own technology development school/center/program, I am constantly researching to find new ideas, technology, and of course...funding. The beautiful thing about RSS feads is, I don't always have to do my own research. Lo and behold, within my Google Reader, I received a feed from Tech&Learning about an interesting company that I have had my eyes on for a little while. Calypson just made an announcement (April 27) that they have just formed the Calypso School First Foundation (CSFF). They plan to transform a Chicago elementary school through the Be Heard School Grant. They are outfitting a classroom with sound technology that will allow the teacher to be heard by all students at anytime, especially the special needs students in full inclusion programs. You can find more about the company's mission by going to http://www.calypsosystems.com/

Thing #17 Podcastically Terrific

Powered by Podbean.com

Truly one of my favorite technology tools to use is podcasting. I first was turned on to the idea when I subscribed to the Mike and Mike Podcast on ESPN PODCENTER a couple of year ago and I always said that I wanted to create something like that. Well, thanks to a good friend of mine Curtissa Greene I was turned on to using Garage Band on our macs to create podcast for my students. For this assignment, I reviewed a few sites to continue to grab ideas that I can use in the classroom. I listened to Grammar Girl,The Math Factor Podcast, and mathgrad podcast to all I enjoyed immensely. What I was looking for was how to use my subject more often in podcast situations. Prior to listening I tried a couple of podcast search engines like EPN, Learn Out Loud, and Podcastdirectory.com. I found the most out of the Podcast Directory site that was most useful for the grade level that I teach. I noticed however, that the United Kingdom had far more entries than the U.S. I've listened to many of these podcast before, trying to once again, listen to all the different styles of delivery and uses. I do this because I use podcasting pretty often in my class. For one, I use it for my spelling test weekly. Each Friday, prior to our normal rotation, my classroom Administrative Assistant will log into our class podcasting site (Smittie's People Podcast) and my students will take their Spelling test. I also use podcasting for story telling, learning multiples in math, study guides through Smittie's Studio of Study and my favorites Ask Desiree and Dis Is How D Does It. " Ask Desiree is a show that currently has five episodes where students will write in to ask questions dealing with math topics that are difficult for them to understand and Desiree will answer them in her own unique way. Dis is How D Does It is new to our site, and it stars another student, Demitrius. Demetrius or "D" puts his own twist to the latest discussions over the Social Studies topics in class along with simple "guy stuff". We have several parents subscribe to the episodes and download them into itunes. I'm currently submitting Ask Desiree in the iTunes podcast directory. Our next goal is to place all of our tutorials for using mac applications from our Extra Credit Project Site and create learning podcast for other classes in our school to use. Along with that students are podcasting in the class next week where they are choosing an historical figure from the Recent Social Studies units (Civil War, The Great Migration, World War I and II, and The 19th Ammendment) and interview them using Garage Band. The results will be posted on our Extra Credit Project Site. and on Smittie's People Podcast site

Thing # 23 Noth-Ning To It But To Do It!

Since beginning graduate school, all my professors have pushed the idea of social networking on us. Creating or joining a Ning has always been a part of the conversation. Initially, because I feel that my time is already limited to getting my projects done for school that I would not have time to network with other educators interested in similar technologies other than my classmates. Though I don't have the time, I like the idea of the Ning or should I say... creating your own social network considering their are other options out their. However, in exploring Classroom 2.0 I definitely see the use of the Ning. Within the Classroom 2.0 Ning I was able to find educators using the very same tools that I use or would like to use in my classroom. It was good to validate what I am doing, but also fantastic to see ideas that I had not thought of. I like the idea that this Ning provides a community that provides somewhat of a support system for every 21st Century educator who wants to stay on top of their game. I enjoyed reading the forum to get the latest tips, especially in the area of online project learning. It was also cool to see all the various tools that educators use in reference to what I've actually seen in person. Then the sharing of ideas without concern of someone getting ahead was very noticeable. I definitely will be creating a ning in the nearest future to support a educators network for those interested in media design. Though I have many ideas, I've learned that two heads are better than one. So why not create a social network without as many heads as possible.

Thing # 21 Googoo For Google

Now, I've been a Google fan from the beginning, and they keep putting tools out that may it hard to hate them. In this "thing" I decided to use a tool that I had not used before and that was google alerts. Now, considering my relationship with my iPhone, I am always looking for the latest update, app, or rumor and Google Alerts allow for anything iPhone related that takes place in the industry come directly to my iPhone. Talking about taking care of yourself! Thus far, I have received messages regarding the new voice option on the iPhone, along with alerts from the Dallas Morning News and Wall Street Journal regarding competitors inability to keep up with the iPhone.

Then from my iPhone, I tried the new application for Google Earth. The updated version takes your current location and zooms you in as if you were gliding like an airplane. I enjoyed being able to locate different addresses and looking a street view images, however, what I enjoyed most was that the application kept track of my other location pinpoints and allowed me to see my current position in reference to where I have been.

My desktop is saved to iGoogle. When I turn my computer on, I have it set to automatically open Firefox and my iGoogle page pops up with my favorite widgets. I can check my gmail, the newspaper headlines, and latest sports stories from ESPN all from the same page. The sweet thing about it that all the information is catered to my interest because I choose exactly what I want to see and I only get that information. So, yea.. I google... do you?

Thing #22 IN YOUR FACE...BOOK!

Yes, I'm on Facebook: Brian Romero Smith

What's addicting to most, is somewhat annoying to me. I not that much of a public social person other than at church, so online social networking is not that appealing to me. Yes, having an account on Facebook has served a good purpose. I like being able to allow my family and friends to catch up on what is going on with me and my family. I can share videos of the baby, and photos of the kids easily without having to send each individual an email that will not fit everything in one send. Great, but what I don't like is how much time you can spend away from old fashioned face-to-face time or simple picking up the phone to hear someone's voice. It has also made many people lazy, because instead of ensuring everyone knows what is going on personally, we leave up to our friends to find out for themselves what is going on in our lives. The other side of that is when you do update your life, it's instantaneously known.

For teachers social networking however is important in order to keep up with educational trends on our world. With everything going online, knowing what the latest tools to use in the classroom, or the what the greatest minds are thinking, we have to be able to keep up with the Jone's. However, a far more important reason to stay knowledgable about social networking is the help it provides in understanding the trends of our students. We are having to take education to another level with this new connected generation. Our old methods of reaching them are benign which behooves us to stay abreast on their methods of networking.

I have found Facebook to be more useful educationally then myspace because of widgets link out to references that are more valuable to the classroom. Also, Facebook seems to allow for more methods of communication with the site like writing on the wall, wall to wall conversation, group chatting, and simply when you log on, you know when someone has posted something. Myspace, mainly due to my lack of patience, seemed to juvenile and more of a "look at me" opportunity rather than actual networking.

I have used Facebook during my graduate work. We have set up groups where we collaborate our ideas for the projects to be completed.

However, having a Facebook account makes me feel old because some students from the my first year of teaching found me and wow, they are all grown. My how times passes you by. Well, I guess it was good hearing from them. In your face Brian!

Thing # 20 Can Somebody call the Google Docs?

Google docs to the rescue. Someone in Mesquite has been trying to get me to use google docs for the longest and I have refused to do so. Actually, the entire reason that I have a gmail account was to start using google docs. But, initially, I felt the instructions were not simple enough for me to gather a quick understanding of it's purpose and useful tools. Well, thanks to the common craft video (I need to see creative demonstrations to be engaged) I felt compelled to give it a shot finally. Funny thing is, I had been looking for a tool to use for my extra-credit project that my students have been working on. I tried Zoho Office at first, but when embedded into a blog, our district restricts the use of this Web2.0 tool. However, since google is mostly wide opened I tried Google Docs and I was excited about how easy it was to use, especially since I had spreadsheets and documents already created. I simply needed a way for the groups to be able to collaborate off site while manipulating by adding to the travel budget sheets that were created for their use. Here is an example of one of my groups travel budget before they began using it online: Cows In Traffic Travel Budget
Before we were using a flash drive to keep track of the budget and that worked wonderfully, until someone left the drive at home and the group couldn't get access to their budget thus halting their research progress. With their budget being online, this issue can be avoided. Prior to the realization for the budget sheet use, we used Google docs to keep track of the progress of each project. The students set their own time lines and used their documents to check off when each city was blogged about. This format found itself useful when the Parent sponsor of each group needed to get an update on where their groups were according to the deadline.

Thing # 19 Oh The Possibilities

I have found my next project piece. I am totally geeked about Voice Thread. I had never heard of this Web2.0 tool until now and I'm wondering how I lived without it. So often I've looked for means to get students to voice their opinion about something in creative fashions. I believe using Voice Thread might be the ticket to even getting the most reluctant student to open of their minds to finding the power of their own voice. When I taught Language Arts in New Jersey, I used picture prompts to get the students to infer in their writing, however, Voice Thread is a more valuable tool because you will get to see how other people think and hear how other people see the very same thing we see but through their own lenses. Voice Threads could be easily used in art critiques, peer reviews, and digital storytelling. Personally, I could use it to display designs for book covers, birthday cards, or even or family reunion t-shirts. Everyone could view them and comment and we can then make a decision on what to do based on everyone's comments. Wow! What a wonderful way to collaborate.

Another use could be to explain via pictures a step-by-step process on how to complete various math problems.



I could have groups complete a visual presentation and we can then use polldaddy to vote on the best demonstration. Imagine that!

I could even post my tutorial videos to our student blogs and have students create questions in form of comments in references to their project work and/or the video instructions. And I could respond directly. Sort of like a semi live Q&A board. Wow! Now imagine that!

Thing # 18 Tubing

Before completing this activity, I didn't realize how much time my students spent looking at videos on youtube. I introduced teachertube to them today and not one student had heard of the site. (That's because it has something to do with education...funny how that works) However, I have had the chance to use both. I have recently created my own channel on Youtube for graduate school purposes. I upload video projects created for class and I complete video tutorials upon request. I will be working on a series of tutorials for my Mac Camp for Kids Group this summer to get them acclamated to using the various Mac applications to become familiar with them for the purpose of completed several projects throughout the summer. My channel is imaginebeingbetter08. I enjoy using both platforms for educational purposes. I learned how to tie a bow tie using a video tutorial on Youtube. Today, I used a teachertube video to introduce how to change an improper fraction into a mixed number lesson for my math class. The video is by Mr. Duey. His video is on Youtube and Teachertube. However, many of the educational options in Youtube can not be shown within our district, therefore I had to upload the teachertube file. Bother sites are extremely useful for educating yourself or simply for entertainment. When I am preparing for my Praise Team rehearsals at church and I am introducing new songs, I normally find the original artist performing the songs in Youtube and I get a better feel of how they ministered their music thus providing some connection for me with the song and the artist. I guess I'm a tuber now.

Thing # 16

Yes you are right... I should have known that books were coming. I'm just surprised that it took so long. However, LibraryThing is pretty cool. I normally keep a list of books that I have read or suggested books for my students on our class website (smittieskids.com) However, LibraryThing gives those books that I suggest more life. LibraryThing allows for a web of books that are connected in some way or another to the book that I may have suggested, thus giving a wider range of options for readers interested initially in the book I chose, or for those who would enjoy reading more books similar to what they have just read. My meager recommendations can only go so far. The social network aspect of LibrayThing is pretty cool also. Student's can easily form book clubs based on common interest. I have helped 4th grade set up some technology uses in reading and one of the projects was to interview a character using garageband. The difficulty in this was we did not have enough variety of characters to interview because we did not have a means of polling everyone to find out every type of book read by students in the class. Well, using LibraryThing would provide all that information if students were members. However, the best feature for me was the opportunity to finding the information from LibraryThing on my mobile phone. How many times have I gone into Barnes and Nobles and forgotten the title or genre of the book that someone just suggested for me? By this alone, I'm convinced and will become a member.

Thanks 23 Things.

Thing # 15 Hmm! Something Looks Delicious!

My Delicious Account

Tag, you're it! I think that I got into tagging last year, but truly started using it with the beginning of this class. I initially enjoyed the fact that there was now a place that I could log all the wonderful websites that I have found and will find over the years. I hated writing them down on a paper or typing them in a documents (URL addresses that is) and then eventually loosing them. Well, delicious has made it all simple for me. I now use Delicious to share interesting sites with my colleagues on various levels. For Grad school, when researching toward my thesis, I use delicious to find related topics through the use of tags. I practically found all my resources and references by simply typing in a tag word or phrase. I am thoroughly impressed with the plethora of uses Delicious has opened the door to. I have even started using the RSS feeds to certain delicious accounts. My next venture is setting up more networks to follow, or belong to other than misd23things.

Thing # 14 Who's Your Polldaddy?

As WEb2.0 tools take over our lives, I've had the chance to use a few; wordle.net, writeboard, blabberize and polldaddy. I've had the most use out of Polldaddy, as I use it on my class media website weekly. You can find my latest poll at www.web.me.com/imaginebeingbetter The current use is for the lower elementary students to listen to our classroom spelling podcast stories and vote on the story they like best. We then take the results and use them in Math class to discuss converting fractions into decimals and percentages. The results can also be used to help students read and understand a pie chart.

My future plan is to use the polls and surveys for my thesis project. Gathering the demographics from various places around the country will help in understanding the educational differences that many states have in comparison to Texas.

Here is the link to the writeboard I created: http://123.writeboard.com/8faddd82f01aa976c/login Password: natadryerase

Thing # 13

Wow! The ability to manipulate is a powerful tool. I wonder if I can make my stimulus check to look larger than it is? Oh well, maybe not, however, I found the use of the image generators pretty interesting. As many of you know, I have a technology project going on in class where the students are using a travel budget to trek across the united states. Well, the license plate generator will definitely come in handy as students will create a license tag for each state they visit, depicting their experience. Personally, I liked the transformer sign that I made, I enjoy sending indirect messages through indirect means and this comes in handing when trying to get students to think critically. So far, I have used some sort of image generator in all of my blogs and websites.

Thing # 12 No More Boring Slideshows

Say goodbye to the powerpoint presentation for online use. When I discovered bubbleshare and animoto I have used the two slideshow presenters extensively for projects in my graduate classes. I like the idea of making something more visually creative than just staring at the photo in successive order. I created photo slideshow with animoto of Creative Commons photos in flickr that dealt with Night time. I love the taking walks by moonlight and or gazing into a vibrantly lit skyline. Something about the way earth moves at night fascinates me. So, here is my video of the night tags taken from flickr.



Photo Credits
night at the Gent's channels/ Noche enlos canales de Gante by pasotraspaso
Night Time Is The Right Time by MK Media Productions
manchester at night by mikecolvin82
Chicago at night, from a distance by kevindooley
The Night Lights of the United States (as seen from space) by woodleywonderworks
Venice by night / Punta Sabbioni by annia316
Night Reflections by mandj98
Vegas by night by wili_hybrid
Moonlight -noise night scene-. by www.jordiarmengol.net...
Guatemala de Noche (at Night) by Oscar Mota
Summer Nights by peasap
Singapore Business district night view by * etoile

Thing # 11 Flickring the Switch

When my daughter Paris was born in Amiens, France we needed a way to share our photos with our family. We were thousands of miles away and this proud daddy needed to show off his baby girl. Online photo sharing was were I turned and over the past few years, I've used flickr as my ideal site. Since I started blogging, I still use flickr to create many of the slideshows that I produce of my family along with picasa and bubbleshare
I truly just got into organizing my photos with tags with the inclusion of tagging options with iPhoto 09'. Tagging has saved me a ton of time finding my photos, especially after taking so many photos over a short period of time. So, if I'm looking for night shots taken, I simple type in night and all my photos tagged with the word "night" come up.

(Singapore Business district night view by * etoile)

In my extra credit project for my students, I encourage them to use upload their photos in flickr that they take along their journey. The purpose is to allow them a device that will log where their pictures were taken by creating what I call a Photo Journey Map that displays all the places that they have been fictitiously on their journey across the United States. I put together a video tutorial for them to explain how to use this tool and implement into their assignment.


(Access our Extra Credit Project Tutorial Site for a larger version of this video)

The map that they create is cool, but since then we have discovered mapness.net which actually connects their trip from the beginning to the end. But what's cool about iPhoto and flickr being in cahoots is if you take a picture with a camera that has a gps tracker, iPhoto will automatically upload where the picture was taken and flickr will automatically place it in the exact place on the map. In class we'll use this map to calculate distances, mph, travel time for driving, flying and walking, along with and deal with social conditions across the country.

Thing #10 Do We Have Common Creativity?

Funny, in my Graduate class we were discussing open creativity while watching videos from the TED conference. We were watching Larry Lessig talk about the stifling laws of copyright and how it strangles collaborative creativity. After watching the video we talked about how teaching beg, borrow, and steal from one another daily and it works because, one person can't think of everything on their own. However, when we take a piece of work and adapt to fit our own personal needs we have to be very careful. Creative Commons came into the discussion because they found a way to publicize the legality of sharing copyright material. The interesting about this is, CC simply publicized the legalities of cutting out the middle man, however, those living in the entertainment industries implemented sharing rights many years ago, you just had to understand the jargon in order to take advantage of it. What Creative Commons has done though is made it easy to share and allow your work to be used along with taking other works and remixing it so to say to suit your own flavor. They have opened the door to a virtual discussion table that allows people from all over to collaborate and create something magnificent. Creative Commons has blown the doors off of face-to-face, sitting down in one room to build something. Instead, mine and your expertise can be captured to add on to what has already been started, yet you and I had the missing piece that defines life...so to speak. The collaboration between Nike and Creative Commons - The GreenXchange proves this.

Students have the ability to create wonderful projects using technology, but if they are constantly bounded by laws, how can they be allowed to express themselves in manners that are most useful? The most popular CC site I use for class is Flickr. My students use the photos to create online photo journey maps on mapness.net for their Extra Credit Project. However, to be safe, I will look for more Creative Common sites as I continue to teach cyber ethics and responsibility to my students.

Thing # 8 Oh The Wicked Wiki

When first introduced to Wikis in education, I hated the idea of creating an online tool that gave others the ability to edit it's original content. This notion kept me from using this tool in the classroom. This year, I made it a point to make the attempt, but I felt limited in finding a purpose. Collaboration was the main goal, providing a platform for several to many participants an opportunity to add on to the strength and relevancy to the original topic. I began my journey by developing a wiki to organize our family's Christmas Family Reunion. Family members were able to upload their arrival dates and times, we were able to add responsibilities at the family house, along with the dining menus during our time together. However, just like most wikis that I have seen, once the information was used or put together for it's set purpose, the site no longer had any use. We haven't touched the site since Christmas.

For this assignment, I took a look at a few wikis SaluteToSuess, Gowest, and Welker's Wikinomics. Each site was very well organized containing the content in a location that was easy to find and utilize. SaluteToSuess was put together to create a grand celebration of the famed author. The main purpose of this site seems to be to share ideas to for the occasion. Very neatly done, the viewer has no problem finding what they need. However,this seems to be a teacher lead site, not any student interaction. Teachers from all over were able to collaborate and share ideas at any time they wanted, but sharing seemed to be it's only purpose. I would have actually had the teachers provide video, audio, pictures of each of the activities that took place not only for show, but also to server as tools teaching us best practices for implementation. Now, Gowest, I actually was able to get some ideas from on how to display and assess what students have learned during a particular unit. Considering, both the latter sites used wikispaces, the content was pretty much organized the same. However, Gowest added several tools, like graphic organizers, that the students used to show what they learned. Thus far I've only used wikis to organize and gather information in methods such as a vocabulary builder where anytime a student runs into a word in medium that they are not familiar with, they can add it to the wiki along with it's definition, the context in which it was used and how they would use it. The intent is to create a huge glossary of fifth grade words that would be helpful for any future use. I also use the wiki for story starters where each student will begin a story and members of their group will add to the story as time goes along. I've also used a wiki to create questions for Malia Obama, a fellow 5th grader. But once again, when we were done with the wiki, we were done and it no longer served any purpose. I'll use the wiki to collaborate, but, I'm still not sold completely.

Thing #7 Commenting Champion...not!

Prior to reading the valuable information from the Brown Baron and the Cool Cat Teacher I felt a little intimidated about commenting on other blogger's blogs other than on my own student's blogs. I didn't feel that I had valuable information to add to pieces that inspired me. However, I now realize that simply letting the author know how their particular piece impacted my own thoughts and ideas is welcomed. I didn't think that the sincere blogger actually read comments left for them, but I realize that they, like myself, use comments to motivate them to continue what they do, among other things. Another cool spin off to commenting is that I was able to see other peoples thoughts and opinion about the entry that closely related to my own feelings. I enjoyed the idea shared by Vicki Davis in regards to leaving a link to my own blog within a comment, not to generate traffic but to develop the commonality between myself and the inspiration. So, commenting is cool, I'm not great at it yet, mainly because of how much time it consumes, but I'll get there.

Thing #6 Ready Set... Read

My RSS readers are full. I've subscribed to so much that it is difficult to keep up with. However, I'm still a huge fan and enjoy the ease in having the desired information come right to me instead going out and fishing for it. Because I'm a huge fan of technology, many of my educational feeds come from sites that promote the latest gadgets to date. One of my favorite is the Gadgeteer. The last feed that I read was about and new device the exercises the hand of the extensive gamer who constantly has his/her hand locked around a joystick. Supposedly, the device is able to correct muscle and tendon stimulation in the hand, wrists and elbows. Wow! I'll never need such a tool, but It's cool hearing about such contraptions that exist in our techno savvy society. I check these types of feeds the most often so that I can keep up with the latest technological changes that seem to take place each and every day.

Thing # 5: Feed Me RSSeymore

Next to the remote control, RSS is the greatest invention to man. I no longer have to go out and search for the information that I want and have to weed through the tangled web just for information pertinent to my desires. It now all comes to me. Yahoo!!!!

Actually, I have been using RSS feeds for a while now. My parents love to be able to get the latest podcast or latest update on our tutorial pages as soon as it is published. However, some of the suggested feeds to add to our reader and blog were unfamiliar. I listened to an NPR podcast that made me truly pay attention to what is going on in my own home. Reducing The Carbon Footprints of New Gadgets http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100754636 This particular podcast talks about the amount of energy we use with all this technology that we have plugged up in the pocket draining sockets in our homes. Omar Gallaga who writes about technology culture for the Austin American-Statesman, http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/digitalsavant/index.html talks about the common devices that take up the most energy and what we can do to alleviate the risk of heart attack when opening our monthly energy bill. Omar mentioned how some of the gadgets we use that are constantly plugged in or on use something called "vampire power" devices that slowly suck out energy from our homes. Mr. Gallega also mentions several "green" devices that help save the cost of energy, such as green power surges, portable silver cells used to charge cell systems on the go instead of in the home. This is definitely worth the listen if you are a techno geek like me at school and at home.

Thing #4: Blah, blah, blogging

As I see more and more blogging being used in various classrooms across the country, I can't help but to think about going back to school to become a ophthalmologist. Kidding, however, having the opportunity to freely express themselves in manners that kick down the stifling walls of formatted writing definitely encourages students to boldly convey their own messages. As I read through some of the post laid out for us in this assignment, I couldn't help but to chuckle when Mark Ahlness said, "The classroom was the quietest and most focused I have seen in a long time during silent reading." He had exposed them to reading blogs instead of a regular book and he was amazed at how well the students adjusted. Now, it's all reading, but this time students were deeply engaged. Adding the technology piece pulled the students in. This is the connected generation, and they would rather hold a laptop than a book even if the web site was the digital version of the very same piece of literature. "Why use an encyclopedia when you have the internet?" my seven-year old daughter asked me one day. All I could do was laugh and agree with her. Blogging however, gives someone or a group the opportunity to expound on their thoughts about any topic. The reader can comment, adding to the ideology of the piece, or express praise or dislike for what the author is saying. However the commenter sways, the blog made them think... a lost art among our learners today. My student's have a difficult time with blogging because they have never had to the opportunity to freely speak through writing. As they continue to blog, many are becoming comfortable with the the concept of writing and have a greater tendency to go and find information on certain topics, just so they can blog about it later on. Wow, taking responsibility for their own learning... through blogging... go figure!

Thing # 2: Why In the World Web

Michael Wesch is a remarkable young man who is either wise beyond his years or was put upon this planet to be an educator. I see so many teachers each and every day who do not see the value of technology in education or are so frustrated and fearful of technology that they refuse to incorporate it into their classrooms. In only four years of teaching, this professor has discovered / come to realize that one of the greatest way to engage today’s students is through technology. Great points Mr. Wesch made include but are not limited to the following:

“…teach students how to ask discussion questions.”
“The crisis of significance:” students must find relevance and value in what they learn.
“Find a way to harness information, critique it, and create it into something new.”
“This is the worst thing we can do to the students.” accompanied an image of a student holding up a bubble sheet indicating standardize testing.
…”platforms for participation, not just entertainment but tools to learn, collaborate, and create something.” (Wesch, 2008)

Today’s educators are the luckiest in the world because we have a plethora of technology that we can utilize and bring into our classrooms in order to help students understand, become involved in their own learning. Our district is on the cusp of understanding this by encouraging our teachers to become more familiar with the technological tools that are already among us. This project and my graduate work one more push for me to move toward integrating technology full time in the classroom in order to allow the students to learn at their own pace and with their own learning style. Many teachers think that this method of teaching is difficult, but I believe it is more the lack of time in implementation than it is difficult.

For many years students have not known how to ask questions of themselves, others, or even formulate questions to ask to adequately research a topic. However, using technology tools that they are familiar with in this connected age will only increase those thinking skills that have increasingly become lacking in students.

Standardized testing HAS become over-rated in many states and school districts. I have found though that when I use technology in my classroom, the students become more responsible for their learning which in turn makes them personally care more about those tests and their score as well as their over all education. When the students feel that they have some control over what and how they learn, it’s amazing what they can and WANT TO do to be successful.

Engagement is the doorway to students’ minds making what we have to share relevant to their lives. Web 2.0 tools to me are the key we can use to open that door leading to participation, learning, creativity, critical thinking, differentiating learning styles, cooperative learning, and ultimately a love of learning resulting in a successful student, adult, co-worker, and citizen.

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Thing #1 Learning my whole life long...

Life is long, so I might as well spend the time learning. I have grown up with the mantra, "never stop learning" My mom always encouraged me to see that when I get to the end of one learning experience, it was just the beginning of another. As a teacher and a current graduate student, it is easy to see how learning takes place your entire life. Therefore, I welcome the challenge of learning something new. Heck, I'm madly in love with my wife and I learn something new about her everyday. In viewing and contemplating the 7 1/2 Habits of EL square I find myself right in the middle of my childhood living room and momma and daddy steadily preaching to the three of us... "Where there is no vision, the people would parish" daddy would say. If you don't have an idea of where you're going, how are you ever going to know where to start is what I now tell my kids. "knowledge is power, But ain't nobody gonna give it to ya" Grandma would say. Those who have knowledge are those know where to find it... so where are you looking, is what I say to my kids. "God will never put more on you than you can bare," momma would always say. It takes the rain and the sun for life to grow, you just have to figure out what seeds you're going to plant during your storm, is what I say to my own. "Believe in yourself as I believe in you" my daddy would sing. Just because you had a nightmare doesn't mean you stop dreaming, is what I speak. On and on it could go. I praise God for parents that instilled their own habits of learning in me. As a matter of fact, even as an adult, they are still turning my eyes to what I can learn from every situation, even when I talk with them on the phone. With that, the more I teach my own children, the more I end up learning. The beautiful thing about it all is, I'm having a blast doing it.