Monday, May 10, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Thing 23: Reflection
Blog Prompts for Thing 23
Although I have gone through all of the 23 things, I realize that it will take me a while to master them. I am especially looking forward to utilizing the Wiki. This will be a great tool for working on projects. I am starting a Wiki for the Upper Elementary Teachers. I think this will be helpful with meetings, curriculum, units of study, planning committees and other projects. I also want to list the things that need to be done this summer while the teachers and students are out. This will make it easier to add things and delete them when they are completed. This way all of the office staff will know what is finished and what is not.
UTube is another site I love using. It is so easy to search for video's and use them for instructional purposes. Slideshare and Podcasts will also be useful for instruction and PD. ZOHO had so many tools! I am looking forward to using zoho projects and reports. This will be so useful for the upper elementary teachers and students. Projects and reports can be worked on from anywhere by all of the team members. Documents and videos can be imported. The calendar will also be useful to ensure all team members know when things are due.
Google Docs is a great site where projects, forms, presentations and other useful docs can be uploaded, edited and worked on by a group. Teachers can work on lessons, units and other projects when they have time and from home.
My thinking about technology has really changed. Prior to this course, my use of technology consisted of the use of my laptop to work on presentations, data analysis, scheduling, forms go on line to complete MDE reports, and answer email and I used my Blackberry for schedules, time, phone, text, email, GPS, notes and internet and felt that was all I needed to know. I was afraid to sign up for this course. I was so sure that this course would be so difficult that I would need more time or I would not use it. I know better now. There are so many FREE sites and tools available to make my job easier. Now I need to continue using what I have learned while discovering even more uses for them.
Although I have gone through all of the 23 things, I realize that it will take me a while to master them. I am especially looking forward to utilizing the Wiki. This will be a great tool for working on projects. I am starting a Wiki for the Upper Elementary Teachers. I think this will be helpful with meetings, curriculum, units of study, planning committees and other projects. I also want to list the things that need to be done this summer while the teachers and students are out. This will make it easier to add things and delete them when they are completed. This way all of the office staff will know what is finished and what is not.
UTube is another site I love using. It is so easy to search for video's and use them for instructional purposes. Slideshare and Podcasts will also be useful for instruction and PD. ZOHO had so many tools! I am looking forward to using zoho projects and reports. This will be so useful for the upper elementary teachers and students. Projects and reports can be worked on from anywhere by all of the team members. Documents and videos can be imported. The calendar will also be useful to ensure all team members know when things are due.
Google Docs is a great site where projects, forms, presentations and other useful docs can be uploaded, edited and worked on by a group. Teachers can work on lessons, units and other projects when they have time and from home.
My thinking about technology has really changed. Prior to this course, my use of technology consisted of the use of my laptop to work on presentations, data analysis, scheduling, forms go on line to complete MDE reports, and answer email and I used my Blackberry for schedules, time, phone, text, email, GPS, notes and internet and felt that was all I needed to know. I was afraid to sign up for this course. I was so sure that this course would be so difficult that I would need more time or I would not use it. I know better now. There are so many FREE sites and tools available to make my job easier. Now I need to continue using what I have learned while discovering even more uses for them.
Monday, April 5, 2010
My Wiki
Thing 22: My Wiki! http://upper-school-montessori.wikispaces.com/ This was fun. I look forward to using this tool. I set up a Wiki for the Upper Elementary Teachers. I hope to use this to work on colaboration among the different classrooms. I was able to put links, videos and articles on the Wiki. I will spend more time this week developing this site.
The Wiki differs from a blog because it allows others to change by adding or deleting what is on the web site. The wiki allows viewers to participate and create. Things that are posted on a blog only allow comments, not changes.
The Wiki differs from a blog because it allows others to change by adding or deleting what is on the web site. The wiki allows viewers to participate and create. Things that are posted on a blog only allow comments, not changes.
Wiki
Thing 21:
There are a lot of Wikis to look through. I like the Wiki for the e-portfolio. I think this would be a good way for students to write and share their portfolios.
I also think I would like to use this for meetings and projects. I liked the example of putting up a draft agenda and having others add to or provide information about the topics prior to the meeting. This would be a great way to work on curriculum. We could start with a GLCE and others could give examples of how they cover it. It is a great way to get all parties involved and to make sure that important topics are covered. It may be a difficult task to make sure others take the time to put in their thoughts and contribute. I think it would be well worth doing.
There are a lot of Wikis to look through. I like the Wiki for the e-portfolio. I think this would be a good way for students to write and share their portfolios.
I also think I would like to use this for meetings and projects. I liked the example of putting up a draft agenda and having others add to or provide information about the topics prior to the meeting. This would be a great way to work on curriculum. We could start with a GLCE and others could give examples of how they cover it. It is a great way to get all parties involved and to make sure that important topics are covered. It may be a difficult task to make sure others take the time to put in their thoughts and contribute. I think it would be well worth doing.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
iTunes/Podcasts
Thing 20:
I liked EPN better than Podcast Alley. EPN listed only educational podcasts and Podcast Alley listed other topics that would not be appropriate for school. My favorite tool was iTunes. I found it easy to use and to find educational topics. I saved the Math Dude andQuick and Dirty Grammar. I can see that podcasts will be useful. There are a lot of podcasts already available that can help students with core subjects and foreign language. I like the idea that students can make their own podcasts especially if they are put on the school website. This would be another creative way for students to learn and share what they learned with others. Teacher made podcasts would be great as a resource for students and parents.
I liked EPN better than Podcast Alley. EPN listed only educational podcasts and Podcast Alley listed other topics that would not be appropriate for school. My favorite tool was iTunes. I found it easy to use and to find educational topics. I saved the Math Dude andQuick and Dirty Grammar. I can see that podcasts will be useful. There are a lot of podcasts already available that can help students with core subjects and foreign language. I like the idea that students can make their own podcasts especially if they are put on the school website. This would be another creative way for students to learn and share what they learned with others. Teacher made podcasts would be great as a resource for students and parents.
Podcasts
Thing 19: Learning about podcasts was fun. I thought that being able to listen or subscribe to a podcast was a complicated thing to do. I now find it to be very simple. I checked out many of the podcasts. I think Booktalks is a great one.This site gives a quick audio sumary of books. http://nancykeane.com/booktalks/podcast_list.htm
I would use the following link for professional development for myself and teachers. I listened to the one called Race to the Top. The podcasts, listed, are about relevent issues and policies in education.
http://learningmatters.tv/blog/category/podcasts/
I would use the following link for professional development for myself and teachers. I listened to the one called Race to the Top. The podcasts, listed, are about relevent issues and policies in education.
http://learningmatters.tv/blog/category/podcasts/
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Slide Share
Thing 18: I embedded The Great Lessons. These lessons are used by Montessori Teachers to spark the studsents interest into various subjects. This particular power point explains each of the Great Lessons. As a Montessori school this power point could be used for new teachers, parents and other interested parties. This tool will be extremely useful to upload our power points to share with others. Searching for power points that already exist on topics of interest is another helpful feature. Teachers could search, find and download power points to use in their classrooms. Students could make power points to post and share also.
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